


Late Night Cigarette

by absolutpiphi



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Police, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, Multi, Psychological Drama, Suspense, Yakuza
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-08-01
Packaged: 2018-03-23 02:43:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 41,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3751420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/absolutpiphi/pseuds/absolutpiphi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two years later from the tragic day of his life, Aomine meets a strange guy named Kagami and he begins to learn the art of closure. AU, Officer!Aomine, Chef!Kagami, smart-ish Kagami, KagaAoKaga</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Warning for OOCness and swearing

Aomine loosened his tie as if it was a need for him to breathe. The damn thing was wrapping his neck like a noose. But it wasn't enough. The problem was not solely the tie; everything had been as if prepared to suffocate him – the soft music playing on the background was too loud to his ears, people chattering were even louder. Polite smiles accompanied with sips of drinks as people standing in small groups and the newlyweds thanking their guests one by one with blessed expressions – everything about that day and in there was nauseating.

The only thing that didn't disgust him was the served food.

"Having fun yet?"

His once senior in high school and now colleague Susa Yoshinori came to stand beside him.

Aomine wasn't sure if he could speak right away without barfing. He felt sick to his stomach. Fortunately, Susa seemed he didn't actually need an answer as he somewhat understood Aomine's mood.

"You'd better not show Momoi _this_ ," Susa sighed as he gestured to Aomine's general posture. "She's the happiest today. Don't upset her."

"It's not Momoi. It's Wakamatsu now." Aomine said in between grunting and scoffing.

"You sure are thrilled about that, huh?"

He didn't do more than frowning at his colleague's slight sarcasm. Even a chipmunk could tell his dislike of the groom after spending some minutes with Aomine, let alone Susa who had known him for years. Though Aomine reluctantly admitted that he couldn't altogether hate the guy since it seemed like Wakamatsu made Satsuki happy, so, Aomine guessed, that was all what mattered in the end even though their happiness exposed some personal issues of his, such as how much he loathed weddings.

With every second that was spent in this venue, the hatred pulsed inside him – he hated the fact that he couldn't have had his own wedding 2 years ago. He was resentful; his family, friends, colleagues – everyone around him had continued with their happy lives while he'd been forced to let go. But more than anything, he regretted. He regretted everything he hadn't done and should have done. Before he could have been happy, truly happy, it was taken away from him – his happiness, his enjoyment, his life, _her_. It was as if right before he'd been about to grasp everything he'd ever desired back then, they all had slipped away from his fingers and now he held nothing.

Emptiness was a black hole in his chest; he was numb to the emotions except the hatred and the resentment. He'd fallen into the misery pit and he was in too deep to even care about getting out.

He flinched when a waitress asked him whether he was finished with his drink or not and wanted a refreshment. He only realized then Susa was still talking and he'd shut him out unwittingly. However, it didn't pose a problem since his colleague seemed he'd been giving the speech everyone liked so much to give to Aomine nowadays. He was sure the gist was the same.

He turned his head in disinterest as he still heard Susa but didn't listen. His eyes landed on the newlyweds unintentionally who were at a relatively less crowded corner, away from the attention, and he decided then that he would have preferred listening to Susa instead of seeing this.

The couple was dancing slowly but completely out of sync with the song playing. Their foreheads were touching as their eyes were closed, arms wrapped around each other. Wakamatsu had a stupid grin plastered on his face while Satsuki had a blissful smile gracing her lips. Aomine had to look away when Wakamatsu tipped his head to the side and down, towards Satsuki's waiting lips. He was disgusted.

Nausea hit him back furiously; he hardly held back a barf. He needed to get out.

"Hey, are you okay?" Susa was worried because Aomine's complexion suddenly turned gray and he was sweating. However, when he tried to support him from his shoulder, he slapped his hand away.

"'M… fine… just need fresh air," Aomine was certain if he talked more, he would vomit. He almost frantically looked for the exit before he forced his way through the crowd.

He threw himself out of the door to the white and gray street. He took in deep breaths as he let the oxygen and cold weather suppress the churning of his stomach. He untied his necktie and dropped it on the snow mindlessly. He then heavily leaned on the exterior wall and took a cigarette from the pack he always carried.

The taste of tobacco assaulted his senses the moment he placed the cigarette between his lips. It was actually faint but for Aomine, who had quit smoking for what felt like centuries ago, the taste was intense. He muttered a curse for not carrying a lighter as well.

He shivered when freezing wind blew for a short second. Aomine didn't understand his childhood friend's reasoning for marrying in winter. Didn't couples usually want to get married in summer or spring? In the end though, he didn't care enough and welcomed the cold without sparing more thoughts. Thick gray clouds were much more interesting and captivating. Why didn't he have a lighter again?

He jerked with the sound of the _snick-snick_ of a lighter being got to work. As he leveled his eyes down to earth, he first spotted the small flame flaring closely to his face. He focused further and saw the red that put the orange-blue flame to shame, piercing the white and gray ambient.

It didn't take long for Aomine to distinguish the crimson eyes staring at him under the dual tone of red hair and split eyebrows on a masculine face. The man was dressed in a pure white chef clothing, so it was hard to separate the rest of his body from the background scenery of piled snow.

The flame flickered and put out eventually. The man looked at him in confusion before another flame blazed. "Are you gonna light that or what?" Dumbass-eyebrows, as Aomine named him, asked in slight weariness.

This time he took the opportunity to lean forward and then smoke his first cigarette in over a year. He watched the dumbass-eyebrows to light his own and move to stand by him. When he inhaled his first drag, Aomine had to cough out the smoke as the taste was nothing like he remembered. It was most likely because of the tobacco going stale; after all, the pack was at least one year old.

"What's this? First time smoker?" The dumbass (for short) was mocking.

"Shut up! It's old." Aomine threw the cigarette, irritated; it was immediately put out with a low hiss. "Gimme one of yours," He knew this stranger had no reason to go along with Aomine's order after his rather, as every one of his acquaintances put, 'ass-ishly rude' attitude; however, this guy looked amused more than angry as he should have actually been. So he really was a dumbass in the end, Aomine figured.

Aomine took a cigarette from the man's pack as the guy held it out to him. When he reached for the man's lighter also, the redhead batted his hand away.

"No, let me," he said with a still amused expression before he lit Aomine's smoke once again.

"What, is lighting strangers' smokes a freakish fetish of yours?" He tried to anger the man but the dumbass only laughed it off. Aomine didn't know why he had the urge, still though; the guy posed temperamental but acted easy going.

"So what's the occasion?" The redhead suddenly asked.

"What?"

"You didn't smoke in a while, right? You quit? So why did you break it today?"

He was strangely observant, Aomine noted, another contrast with his fierce looks. Crimson eyes turned expectantly to him when Aomine didn't answer.

"Felt like it."

"Really?"

"Really. Have a problem with it?"

"Nope," He said with a light laugh. Aomine wondered why the hell he was so damn cheerful. He was sure his mother had dropped him on his head as a baby. That was why he was such a happy dumbass. Aomine was annoyed.

He was going to rebuff if the man kept up with his nonsense questions. However, he didn't talk anymore. Therefore, Aomine had to enjoy the slight burning of his lungs, spicy taste of tobacco and the lightness in his head the cigarette gave along with the silent company of the dumbass-eyebrows. They just stood and smoked – the actual tranquil moment for Aomine for the first time since what was like forever, almost giving a glimpse from the easy days of the past, from when none of his friends had been trying to persuade him to "move on" and "find someone and be happy again". They didn't understand. How could they when none of them lost the most precious person to them because of a stupid mistake of theirs? They didn't get the black hatred that coated his insides and forced its way out at every turn. No one had any idea how it'd been like when Aomine had sought the gentle light in her soft green eyes in a lifeless, cold body that he could no longer recognize as his fiancée's. Losing her without a hope of a chance for seeing her again, losing her smile forever was something Aomine couldn't possibly "move on" from.

A bitter laugh rose in his throat at the fact that how all of his friends had been trying to push him at nothing but wrong directions in an obvious attempt at comforting while thinking it was what he needed and failing miserably, while this complete stranger was giving what Aomine really needed by silence and without even being aware of it.

He glanced to the side to have a better look at the man and was surprised to see no one there. How could he come and leave without Aomine noticing? Heaving a sigh, he looked at the yellow filter instead that was left behind on the snow.

He took a long drag from his smoke. He didn't thank the man, did he, for the cigarette? If he happened to come across with him, he might then. It didn't seem likely though, that they would ever meet again.

For now, he would just throw his old pack away and consider buying a new one.


	2. Chapter 1

Aomine woke up with a loud gasp. His heart was running a thousand miles. The sheets were sticking to his damp legs. He didn't know where he was for blank moments until his brain began working and concluded easily – another nightmare.

He gave a sigh that he had habited as he turned to his side to look at the time. The alarm clock's red digits were the only lighting source in his dark room as they read 01:12. So he'd been sleeping for two hours; relatively a success against the old nightmares. He decided to try going back to sleep but his phone's blinking notification attracted his attention. Curiosity got to him and he reached to the night stand beside his bed for his phone.

Nobody texted or mailed him unless it was urgent since they knew Aomine hated having contact through messages ( _how hard is it for you to call and speak_ was his general reply to such) except his mother and Satsuki. They loved writing about the every unnecessary event and thing they witnessed. Aomine didn't reply to their mails. It was the easiest way to deal with them. However though, his mother wouldn't send a text this late and Satsuki had gone to Maldives for her honeymoon six days ago for a two-week vacation.

Aomine hastily opened the mail notification with a pang of dread, thinking it was bad news. He almost threw the phone back to its previous place when he realized the mail was from Satsuki boasting about her amazing honeymoon. He was irritated to himself for being ready for anxiety and hated Satsuki a little bit. She'd been trying to cheer him up with her own happiness for some time now. She never noticed the nasty emotions that rooted in his conscious.

He cursed to himself and set to read the mail till the end as a punishment for his morbid self. The content was mostly about how beautiful the Island was and the beach sometimes was so hot that the bottom of their feet had blisters now but the sea was so cold that it was worth walking through the fire barefoot and Wakamatsu was so attentive he was the most perfect man in the whole freaking universe and blah. Aomine couldn't care less how magnificent the "heaven" was going to be, let alone Maldives. He decided to skip some long passages because they were just more blah. But he stopped when a familiar name caught his eye – Kise.

Kise's name got his curiosity back on its tracks. He returned to read Satsuki explaining in details how they encountered with Kise in the hotel they were staying. Aomine rolled his eyes. Even if his mood hadn't been so _shiny_ , Satsuki knew he wouldn't have cared about the details. Aomine was sure she'd done it on purpose because she only knew too well he'd skip the parts that didn't interest him. She was taking a little revenge by making him go through the details here in order to learn about the things that did interest him.

Aomine set himself once more to read the rest of the mail, all the while grunting, to learn how Kise was doing with his life. Their contact had severed after graduating from high school. Everyone had gone to their own ways to sort out their lives in college. Once the Teiko team had scattered like moths after turning off the lights. Aomine didn't have any idea what anyone did after high school. Satsuki didn't either as far as Aomine knew. It was like a silent pact all of them had signed, that everyone would leave each other alone. He wondered if they were content about where they found themselves now. He certainly wasn't. At all. And he'd been the ace of the Generation of Miracles.

"Generation of Miracles," he let a sarcastic bitter snort out. How ridiculous did that title sound now? And he'd been once secretly proud of it too. Every person all around the country had had so many expectations of them, of _him_. And now where he got? – A freaking traffic police. He definitely saw the irony in that. He didn't stop the bubbling laughter in his throat.

His rank had been lowered after the events two years back; from a detective to a traffic cop. He'd been highly disappointed back then, now he didn't care. It was all the same in the end. His childhood dream job, his goals and dreams could go screw themselves.

He returned to the mail with remaining snickers and Satsuki finally got to the point. She'd written about Kise's successful career, his family and even the blond's love life. He'd quit modelling and basketball to be a pilot as he now flew all over the world. It maybe sounded exciting and suited to Kise but Aomine couldn't help feeling disappointed. Out of all the members of the Teiko team, he'd always thought Kise would have been the last one to give up on basketball. And Tetsu. Tetsu wouldn't give up on the sport either. He'd been the one who loved the game the most. Aomine imagined Tetsu still playing somewhere, somehow. It was tiny and almost ineffective but the thought sort of gave him the will to wake up in the morning and go through the day tomorrow.

Kise had lost his younger-bigger sister in the past year to cancer. It had shaken him and his family up badly but they had somehow managed to be somewhat in peace with her soon death. Aomine thought Satsuki couldn't convey Kise's feelings very well but he knew; accepting the death of someone beloved was the scariest and hardest thing to do. He felt a newfound sympathy towards his friend.

But he lost it the moment he read Kise was married and waiting for the birth of his first child. His black heart had no glad place for Kise's bliss. He lost the remaining small desire to learn more about Kise's life when he opened the two attachments of the mail; two pictures. The first one had Satsuki and Wakamatsu tangled in each other's arms, smiling sickeningly blissfully to the camera, with beach and a row of wooden houses scenery on the background. They were wearing swim suits; Satsuki's long hair was braided, adorned with colorful clips, and at the place of where her ear should have been there was a way too big flower. The other picture had Kise in it. Three of them were sitting at, Aomine guessed, the bar of hotel. Kise's arm was draped over Satsuki's shoulders as both of them grinning, mocking him through the damn picture as Wakamatsu was frowning at the blond. Aomine threw his phone to the foot of the bed.

They were trying to conduct his thoughts into thinking he was the only person left unhappy. He knew the saying that whatever he'd been going through, someone else was probably going through it too or what-the-fuck-ever. He didn't give a shit about that mysterious "somebody else". That didn't comfort him, if this was the saying was supposed to do, or didn't stop him from cursing to his friends. Screw them, screw everyone. And screw sleeping too, he was going out to drink.

He kicked the sheets over and got up. He quickly wore the yesterday's clothes; they were wrinkled due to the way he'd thrown them to the floor earlier. He entered his claustrophobic bathroom and splashed his face with two hands full of water. He looked at the mirror; it was difficult recognizing the man staring right back at him with the same eyes and the same face but they were not identical to the man Aomine knew as himself. The indigo eyes were hardened, cold and tired of everything they'd seen. The long time uncut dark blue hair was standing in random directions from the front as the back was pressed against the stranger's skull. Aomine thought the man's appearance was enough to prevent anyone from speaking to him let alone hit on him. Good because Aomine was in no mood to deal with sick drunken idiots although he planned to be one himself.

He grabbed his wallet and keys from the table. The pack of smokes was already in his coat's pocket. He left his studio apartment as soon as he put his boots on.

He filled his lungs with a deep breath of freezing night air as first thing when he stepped on the snow. He took out the pack and the lighter. He drank in the smoke of the cigarette after he lit it with trembling hands. He stood in the middle of the street that was lightened by a lonely streetlamp. He searched for the moon but the sky was jet black, giving no evidence as to there once had been a moon and stars more than any human could count. He shook his head.

Screw winter.

He moved to enter the dark side of the road, leaving only a trail of smoke behind him in the light.

* * *

The passersby were mostly giving him reproachful looks and occasionally dissing him, apparently having the opinion of he was a disgrace to his colleagues. Aomine didn't have the mentality to glance at their direction as he was purely focused on walking without falling off the sidewalk. The snow was doing nothing more than fettering his blunted reflexes, making even standing straight a difficult feat. Though he was sobering up slowly thanks to the cold air, the blurred lines of cars and obstacles in his way gradually becoming clearer. He at least wouldn't kill himself while trying to overcome the challenge of going to the station. Unfortunately though, the cold wasn't enough to take away the stench of tobacco and alcohol he was oozing. It just meant he'd have to deal with further scorning at work.

The constant throbbing in his skull indicated that the yelling he was going to take from his boss wouldn't matter; his brain was in no state to give a crap. Aomine didn't need the headache to tell him; he was already at the bottom and he'd fallen from his boss' favor long time ago. His temples were pulsing with every breath he took but he didn't take the risk of losing his hard-earned balance by raising his hands. Maybe yelling would very much matter in the end.

There was only 5-minute distance left to the station – 5 minutes with a clear mind and more control over motor reflexes. So Aomine would be there in 15. "Finally," he grunted hoarsely in relief. All he solely wanted to do was to sit and close his eyes to block out the daylight and the twinkling white. Why the hell was the snow white anyway? Couldn't it be black for a change? Damn snow.

An approving groan was leaving his throat for having the energy back enough to curse again when Aomine slipped and fell to his knees. His approval took a fast turn in painful as he screamed in frustration and his brain gave an angry pulsing agreement, making his head dizzier. How exactly was he supposed to get up now? Giving up and lying on the snow was just too irresistible.

Before Aomine could let his torso hit the frozen rigid mattress and get cozy, a commotion erupted across the road. He looked over there to see what was occurring. A brat was snatching an old lady's purse then scramming – a common case of mugging that involved a lot of running…

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Aomine hated muggers. They always had to run away fast, didn't they? It was definitely the last thing he needed.

He imperceptibly pushed his feet up, his stomach churning violently in reply; he eventually stood up albeit wobbly. He then inhaled deeply to calm his insides, preparing himself for a fierce round of tagging. Damn cop morals.

He could only take two fast steps before losing his balance, barely holding back the bile rose to his throat. Weren't they close to the nest of the police? Where was anyone when needed? Aomine dared attempting to run once more, though he still got on his feet again after some struggling, having every intention of catching the kid before he could draw away further. Fortunately, Aomine didn't have to do anything else though it took him a minute to process what had happened. All of a sudden the mugger was lying face first on the snow, looking as though he wouldn't be moving for a while; bystanders began circling around him, looking in shock. Aomine glanced around to see the reason why the mugger had suddenly passed out. He then noticed the person standing above the unconscious kid. His eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the familiar teal hair. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the man he once had known well.

"Tetsu?"

* * *

Aomine wished nothing more than this to be a drunken dream. His ex-best friend's voice had been the voice of his conscience for some time back then until he'd graduated from college and met her, until he'd quit basketball completely. Somehow he'd shut up the voice in his head that had tried to keep him in track. Aomine didn't know why it was Kuroko's and he wasn't ready to face the man yet. However, he still couldn't look away as Kuroko's statement was being taken. The boyish features he'd remembered were matured now as he was taller by few inches, his hair considerably shorter. He'd grown up like everyone else. Aomine had always imagined he'd have stayed the same, he didn't know why, he'd just had the idea.

"Aomine. Aomine!" He was forcibly awakened from his trance. His boss was looking exasperated, he motioned Aomine to get in his office with his big bald head. Aomine walked over, though still half in shock of seeing Kuroko.

His boss slammed the office door behind the bluette. He made a disgusted face as he passed by him before sitting behind his crowded oak desk. The chief looked up at him and fixed him a hard stare.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Aomine raised his eyebrows, not understanding the question. "What?"

"You're coming to work stinking of alcohol on top of being late. Let alone letting a fucking mugger _escape_? You are a fucking joke to our whole department! _So_ , what _the hell_ do you think you are DOING?!"

Aomine didn't have an answer to give, only narrowing his eyes into two nonchalant slits. Thank God for Kuroko for distracting his brain functions from the headache.

His boss heaved a sigh, calming immediately. "Look, I know you're angry at every one of us for what happened, at me the most. But you are the best detective I've ever seen in all my life and believe me when I say I've seen a lot of good lads coming and going. You need to get your act together, boy." He stopped, waiting a reaction from Aomine. He continued when it looked like he wouldn't get one. "What happened to you shouldn't happen to anyone. But it was inevitable and there was nothing you could do more than you've already done. It was an accident for Christ's sake! You have to forgive yourself… Daiki, you should stop blaming yourself for what happened to Ono-"

The chief had to cut off when two heavy fists slammed themselves on his desk, knocking the framed picture of his family down. He looked in surprise at the raging man above then guiltily; he'd just said the forbidden word, hadn't he?

"Shit, Daiki, sorry for-"

"Don't," Aomine's voice trembled. "Don't talk as if you _get_ -" His mouth was quivering. Aomine made a thin line of his lips to cease it. He then straightened his back and watched his boss with cold indigo eyes. "Is that all, sir?"

The chief gulped, not able to keep the eye contact because of the hardship the chief saw in those very young but very old eyes. He knew what an angry Aomine would do – wreck everything in sight. However, an expressionless, calm Aomine he didn't know. The unpredictable manner was unnerving.

"Ugh, yes, ahem," His boss set himself rearranging the pile of files on his desk before looking back at Aomine and speaking. He apparently needed a moment before collecting his superior behavior. "You can as well take today off since you are in no shape to be useful in any way. Leave now and come tomorrow at least sober." He made a dismissive gesture as he opened one of the thick files, his attention completely on the case at his hand.

Aomine gave an obligatory curt nod before veering off. He fast stepped through the station to outside. As soon as he was out the door, he lit a smoke. Fuck the smoking regulations, he was an officer.

He deeply inhaled the smoke and felt like breathing was slightly easier again. Why on earth had he quit anyway? Re-smoking was the wisest decision he'd made recently, drinking until passing out at some bar not so much though. It had caused more problems between him and his boss as it'd also caused the old man uttering the things that he didn't want to hear ever again. It was almost amazing how much unintentional words could sting. Hearing the name he'd forced his mind not to think for the past years messed with his whole world so easily in such short seconds that he-

"Hello, Aomine-kun."

Kuroko's calm and so near to his ear voice jerked him to drop the cigarette between his fingers. He stared with a blank expression at the guy standing left to him, smiling for manners and (according to Aomine) in sick amusement.

"Tet-Kuroko," suddenly finding the first name basis unnecessarily too intimate, he continued, "You're finished with giving your statement?"

"Yes, it was surprisingly an easy deal."

"Yeah, well, you were surprisingly popular," Aomine remembered the attention Kuroko had received. His colleagues must be very amused by the ordeal of such a shorter, weaker guy knocking out the taller criminal Aomine had pitifully failed to catch. He wouldn't be hearing the end of it, would he? Well, screw them.

Kuroko didn't make an attempt to reply to his sarcastic retort, his smile still insincere in Aomine's eyes. He was observing Aomine with his blue imperturbable eyes, wasn't he? Probably making deductions about him and about his life. He couldn't possibly come up with good results and Aomine wanted to shout at his face ' _Stop looking at me!_ ' but he didn't. He waited for Kuroko to eventually speak.

"You look… well."

Aomine laughed at the obvious lie. "Yeah I feel great." Kuroko dropped the smile, ' _Thank fucking God_ ,', and solely continued to observe Aomine. He couldn't take the stare further. He spoke in irritation. "Listen, Kuroko, there's no need for obligatory phrases. But forget about me, how are you?" Aomine really wanted to know about his ex-teammate's well-being because he wanted to know someone was still playing basketball and Kuroko was currently the one all of his "hopes" centered. Kuroko slightly nodded in understanding – whatever he understood from Aomine's change of subject.

"I am well. I am an elementary school teacher. However, I sometimes help Kiyoshi-san in coaching our school's basketball team. Maybe you will remember him, he was my senior in high school."

Aomine didn't remember this 'Kiyoshi' guy but he nodded anyway, his lips were twitching for what Aomine could only guess a small smile. "So you're still playing?"

"Occasionally, yes."

"That's good. That's… really…" He was suddenly at a loss for words, he cleared his throat while constantly nodding his head. He looked at his feet for a short moment before returning to the man beside him. "So, um, ahem, who was Kiyoshi again?"

The smile returned to the pale lips as Kuroko explained. "He was the center in our high school team."

"Tall, friendly looking guy?"

"Yes."

"Oh, yeah," Aomine looked sideways in reminisce, he vaguely remembered the guy Kuroko was talking about and the way he played basketball. He was crossed with Murasakibara more than once too. A brave guy – stupid but brave. "He was interesting," Aomine murmured to himself.

"Yes, he still is."

Aomine's eyes re-focused on Kuroko but said nothing to further the conversation. Kuroko stood silent for a while as well before checking his watch. "I should head to the school now, Aomine-kun. It was nice seeing you. I must also say I'm surprised to see you smoking."

"Yeah, well, why doesn't everyone?"

Kuroko's smile almost twitched to widen. He began walking away before hesitating and looking back. "I would like to have a cup of coffee whenever you are available."

Aomine blinked, not getting why anyone would want to drink coffee with him. He knew he wasn't exactly the most pleasant company. "Yeah, sure." They exchanged their phone numbers, both of theirs being changed over the years. Then Kuroko left with a small wave of his hand, leaving Aomine to deal with the rest of the shitty day as well as the slight confusion.

* * *

Aomine took the 'day-off opportunity' to fall in a deep enough slumber at home but not before having a couple of drink. Or his nightmares would interrupt and it was already a bad enough day – it'd be like a feast to feed on for his old enemy. Actually, a couple of drink might not even do the job. He searched for the sleeping pills the division's psychologist had given. It'd been ridiculous to be forced to see a shrink as if talking about what had happened would have changed anything. Moreover, thinking about that psychologist alone was enough to send shivers down his spine. How could have _that_ man helped him in any way? But, Aomine had to admit the medications had been great. He was still using them although he'd stopped seeing the shrink.

He found the drugs under some dirty laundry – only 11 pills left. He should also look for the fake prescription since 11 pills meant it'd suffice for 5 days. He poured himself a glass of scotch as he took two of them. The medications were most efficient when he took them with something strong. He'd be sleeping like a newborn in a few minutes.

' _How much longer can you keep this up? You'll be dead in your sleep one of these days and you know it_ ,' an annoying voice in the far back of his mind spited the words at him but it was easy to dismiss what with the slumber already taking him in its vacant embrace.


	3. Chapter 2

An irritating rapid sound was forcing its way through Aomine's eardrums to his numb brain. A pair of eyes slowly slid open, having nothing but confusion in them. It took 5 long seconds for Aomine to be aware of his surroundings. It took a bit longer than that to process his doorbell ringing mixed with occasional knocking.

He sat up grudgingly. There was a buzz in his ears and his head felt incredibly light. He looked at the alarm clock – it was 7. He wasn't sure if in the morning or the evening though, or how many days it'd been since he slept.

The doorbell was a messenger of an upcoming killer headache and he just wanted it to be gone. He walked to the door wobbly. He sharply opened it, ready to bark at whoever insistent asshole it was in his doorstep. It was- no, _they_ were Susa Yoshinori and Imayoshi fucking Shouichi.

Aomine attempted to shut the door back but a well-placed foot stopped it. He stumbled back when the door was pushed open. Imayoshi and Susa let themselves in.

Aomine gave up and grumpily trudged back to his bed and simply sprawled. Susa and Imayoshi glanced around the modest apartment that contained a queen-size bed, a nightstand, a small wardrobe, one coffee table and no couch with an American kitchen and a tiny bathroom. Aomine had two reasons for having this apartment; one, he didn't need a large space to live in. The second one was the broad balcony which had a vast city view. Susa was currently sliding open the door of it as Imayoshi moved to sit on the bed.

"Yo, Aomine, I heard about your little incident this morning." Imayoshi crossed his legs and turned around to face Aomine.

"Was it today?"

"Yes, of course it was today." Susa answered, eyebrows furrowed. Aomine noticed Susa trying to hide the concern but the brunette didn't manage it as well as he probably thought. Aomine just rolled his eyes.

Susa was frowning in thought. He'd been looking for the man he remembered from their school days in this empty shell of a person.

Aomine had always had an attitude too big for his ego but it'd been different. He had never been so… worn. Like he was fading away into a place the living was forbidden to enter.

Even the apartment was enough to come up with uneasy conclusions. It was like no one lived in it if it wasn't for the scattered clothes. But Susa knew there weren't any utensils in the kitchen to cook or eat. Aomine had a minibar instead of a refrigerator and it only had alcohol in it.

He'd seen the medications and the scotch bottle on the table as soon as he'd stepped in the flat. He was certain Aomine had been doing something dangerous as taking drugs with alcohol. And the bluette was aware of the risks.

Maybe Aomine wasn't thinking of it now but who could be sure that one of these days Aomine wouldn't want to keep on living anymore and would do something as drastic as committing suicide? It didn't seem that unlikely to Susa.

He wanted to scold Aomine because of the way he "lived". He would have been (constantly) if it'd have the faintest effect but Aomine never listened. However, Susa was having trouble with holding it all in. He was about to nag Aomine's ears off. He was about to start the session when Imayoshi interrupted.

"We brought you food." He motioned Susa to give him the bag he'd been holding in his clenched hand. Imayoshi's eyes were warning him to stay silent. "It's your favorite, chicken teriyaki. Aren't we nice?"

The bespectacled man opened the brown paper bag, about to take the contents out.

"I'm not hungry."

"Have you even eaten at all whole day?" Susa was acting like his mom, irking Aomine.

"None of your business but no."

"You-" His voice was abruptly gone because of a blow to his stomach, taking Susa's breath away.

"Put this into the fridge." Imayoshi told him without looking. The bag was held in the fist that struck his midsection.

"It's a minibar." Susa couldn't stop himself from remarking.

"Then put it into the _minibar_." Imayoshi looked up at him this time, stripping Susa from his retorts efficiently. The brunette moved away to do what he'd been ordered.

Aomine glanced at the back of the bespectacled man's head, waiting for Imayoshi to voice his thoughts and be snarky doing so.

"You haven't come to see me for a while now."

"You know why I don't see _you_."

"I do? But I was thinking we had a great chemistry between us as patient and psychologist. You are not satisfied with the work I've done with you?"

"The only thing you did was giving me some meds-"

"I did manage to make you sleep, didn't I?"

"-And before that forcing me to tell you about my nightmares and that day over and over-"

"It was to ensure you get over them. Did you, by the way?"

"Fuck no-!"

"Yeah, I can see you didn't."

"-You only made me feel worse by making me remember and go through them again and again while I've been trying to _forget_ with all my might!"

Aomine huffed. It was quiet for an uncomfortable moment before Imayoshi spoke in a serious tone.

"Forgetting won't help you, Aomine."

"Yes it will!" Aomine shouted in refusal then thought again. "Or it would have if I could."

Imayoshi didn't say anything further. He seemed to be in his own twisted mind, probably analyzing the things Aomine had said. He then lied down with a thump, resting his head in the small of Aomine's back .

"Get off of my back."

"Stop faking my prescription."

"No."

Imayoshi got only cozy on Aomine's back by crossing his hands behind his head. Aomine rolled his eyes once more as a question was forming in his mind.

"Why do you care anyway?"

"I don't but Susa worries."

"About me? He should worry about himself first. No one could be sane _and_ date you."

"I'm a charming man-"

"You're really not."

"-and Susa loves me dearly."

"See? Insane."

Imayoshi chuckled and Aomine voiced another question.

"Where _is_ Susa?"

"On the balcony, smoking, pretending like he isn't listening in but you're free to join us any time you want, darling!" Imayoshi ended his words with a wave at Susa to come over. The brunette only shook his head and sighed. He wasn't deceiving himself into thinking Imayoshi hadn't been aware of what he had been up to. He threw the cigarette out of the balcony with a flick of his finger before going back inside. He lied down next to his partner, resting his head on Aomine's broad back.

"Why the fuck both of you lie down on me-?"

"So what did you guys talk about?" Susa asked, feeling an odd sense of obligation to further his 'wasn't listening in' act.

"Oh please, like you didn't hear every word-"

Imayoshi cut Aomine off. "We were just talking about how Aomine was being a baby by not coming to see me in the office anymore."

"He must be scared."

"The hell? I'm not fuc-"

"I don't understand why. I'm such a charming young man-"

"You seriously are not." Susa and Aomine said in sync.

"Hmph," Imayoshi faked an offended sniff as he said in a resentful voice, "Ladies like me more than they like you two."

Aomine snorted as Susa spoke, "Oh you must mean our neighbor, Kagome-san? She's 70, you know."

"And still a fine lady, always complimenting my looks-"

"She can see as well as a chicken at night. She has cataract almost one centimeter thick in her eyes."

"-She thinks I resemble her late husband with the way I _talk_ and apparently, he was such a handsome fellow in his time, swept her off of her feet-"

"Imayoshi, are you trying to make me jealous?" Susa asked, taunting, head propped on his elbow. "Ouch!" Aomine protested on the background.

"No but is it working?"

"No," Despite the negative answer, Susa was smiling. He lowered his head to steal a quick kiss from his partner. Aomine sensed something he truly wouldn't like was happening behind him (on him?). He spurted when he looked back to see the two men kissing.

"Don't!" He tried to throw them off but Susa's elbow was pinning him down to the mattress. "Don't you fucking  _dare_ flirt on my back! Get off!" But the couple didn't hear a word he said.

Imayoshi ran his hand through Susa's hair before tugging and bringing the man closer, preventing the brunette's escape with a teasing kiss. Susa groaned into his lover's mouth. Pain in his skull and pleasure from Imayoshi's merciless lips were making him lose reason. Imayoshi smirked when Susa hungrily licked his bottom lip, coaxing the two soft thin lines into giving an opening. The brunette let his hand travel from Imayoshi's chest to his abdomen in a slow caress as his tongue dived through his partner's parted lips and Aomine could only gape at the two in disbelief. He lost it the moment he saw two wet pink organs doing nasty things.

"GAH! Get the _fuck_ off of me!" He roared (shrieked), taking the chance to lift his body up the instant Susa's elbow was displaced. Both men's heads bounced off the mattress and pounded against each other. Aomine didn't wait for them to recover from the pain as he pulled them up to their feet and pushed them towards the exit.

"Ah, sorry, Aomine-" Susa at least had the decency to look guilty even if Aomine didn't care and continued to push them out of the door.

"Hahaha, yeah sorry, Aomine," Imayoshi wasn't even trying. "See you later~," He waved and Aomine slammed the door in their faces.

"Pricks."

Aomine thought about going back to sleep for just a horrifying fraction of time before he shivered in disgust when the fresh image of two asswipes making out popped in his head.

Despite the horny bastards, Aomine was feeling more energetic than he'd been earlier that day. Then his stomach grumbled in protest. He couldn't be crazy enough to eat the food Imayoshi had brought though, right? He suspiciously leveled his eyes on the fridge (' _Minibar!_ ' imaginary Susa yelled in his mind). And  then he shrugged. He probably was mad enough. Or hungry enough.

He took out the chicken teriyaki and immediately closed in on the food. The flavor exploded on his taste buds. Was there something illegal in it or what because no earthly food could ever be this delicious. Maybe it was the hunger talking but that didn't change anything. He'd be eating from this place from then on. He glanced at the bag to see the shop's name.

"Shiro Tora?" Aomine thought it was a weird yet interesting choice for a food shop. He then returned to devour the rest of his chicken. Damn Imayoshi and his ways of therapy.

* * *

Two weeks later Aomine was standing in front of the 'Shiro Tora'. He blinked and then blinked again. The place wasn't like what he expected at all. He'd been waiting to see a small food stand or anything similar. Instead, there was a fancy looking restaurant which screamed if he ate in there, he'd have to pay half of his monthly income. The place actually had a food stand next to the restaurant's entrance either, probably for the people who didn't want to dine inside, he guessed. A smart dressed man was sitting behind the stand but that was it. The kitchen was hidden by a wall that had a menu on it as the price tags were under the gigantic pictures of meals. There was a passing at one side of the wall, though it wasn't enough to make the kitchen visible.

Aomine hesitated about going inside, maybe he should just buy something cheap from the stand and eat it in the park. The restaurant looked like it had a dress code too and he was in his uniform. However, he was suddenly being pulled from his arm towards the fancy diner.

"Dai-chan, what are you doing standing and staring in the cold? Let's get inside."

Satsuki didn't give him much of a choice as they were already in front of the reception and she began talking to the man behind it about their reservation.

"Of course, Wakamatsu-san, welcome." The receptionist helped them disrobe their coats before he motioned someone to come over as he continued, "Hayashi-san will escort you to your table."

"Welcome, Wakamatsu-san." A waiter approached them from the side with an inviting smile. "Please allow me to lead you to your table." Aomine and Satsuki followed the waiter until they were seated in comfortable red leather chairs and at a wide-enough black table.

Aomine was mildly surprised when the waiter pulled the chair for Satsuki but didn't even once glance at him in judgment because of his dressing. Satsuki thanked the waiter before he went away only to come back with two menus and leave their side once more. Aomine looked through the menu and immediately he was overwhelmed with the variations. They didn't just have Japanese cuisine but Western and European as well. The prices were considerably expensive but not unreasonably. The place was apparently popular since it was already crowded even in this Tuesday's afternoon. He was becoming confused as what to eat before he dropped the menu. He would have his usual, no need to dwell on it more.

He looked at Satsuki; she was still deciding for what to have when Aomine spoke.

"Are you a regular here or something, Satsuki? I thought this place was new. How come they know you so well?"

She looked up from the menu at Aomine with blinking wide pink eyes. She then began talking chirpily. "No way, Dai-chan. It's been a year since Shiro Tora has opened. Kousuke is friends with the owner and the head chef is my acquaintance. He and his team made the meals for my wedding."

That explained why the food hadn't disgusted him at the wedding. He hadn't got the full taste back then, considering his mood, but that proved the chicken teriyaki he'd eaten some time ago had been really good, not a fluke or a deceive. Satsuki looked as if she waited a reply; however, the waiter came back to take their orders. When he was about to leave, she stopped him.

"Hayashi-san, is Sato-san available? I'd like to thank him for his wonderful job at my wedding."

The waiter looked at her apologetically. "We are honored by your kind words, Wakamatsu-san. However, Sato-san's shift starts in the evening. His assistant chef is looking in his place until then." He suddenly glanced between Aomine and Satsuki rapidly before he hastily said, "Ah, but I assure you he is just as good as Sato-san."

Satsuki's face lightened at the mention, "Is that Kagami-kun?" She then claimed enthusiastically when she had her approving nod, "I'd like to talk to him – he was great too!"

"Of course," The waiter smiled in relief and what was that? Proud? Aomine found it strange. "I will let Kagami-san know."

Satsuki returned to Aomine when the waiter left with their orders. She seemed she was going to say something but changed her mind. They sat in some ailed silent minutes but Aomine wasn't going to break it, so Satsuki had to, eventually.

"So how did you found this place, Dai-chan?"

"Bleh, everyone's so overly polite. What's with that?"

She strangely giggled instead of scolding Aomine. "You're the only one who would find _respect_ a flaw."

"I don't think "respect" is a flaw." She rolled her eyes at him, so he had to retort and hit low, "By the way Satsuki, your tan looks weird. It's a bad contrast with your hair. You should have gone to a snowy country."

"Weird?! That's mean!" She was horrified but Aomine just looked at somewhere else in disinterest. Though with her next words, his eyes sharply turned back to her. "But it was a nice surprise meeting with Ki-ch—Kise-kun there." So Aomine wasn't the only one who was uncomfortable by reverting to the familiar grounds with _them_. However, he didn't want to talk or think about Kise. He changed the topic to a slightly better one. He also sort of wanted to tell Satsuki about it anyway. "I met Kuroko the other day."

Satsuki froze before whispering slowly, "Tetsu-kun?"

He was going to say more but their orders arrived and the waiter informed them about the assistant chef would see them after they finished their dishes. Satsuki thanked and dismissed him as politely as she could with her mildly troubled expression. They both didn't touch their food, Satsuki staring and waiting for him to speak.

"I met him accidentally and we didn't talk much. He is a teacher in some grade school now. He looked like he is doing fine." He dug into his food after he finished talking.

"Is that so?" Satsuki said in a small voice but she had a genuine smile. Aomine nodded though he paused when he was having his next bite, "He still plays."

She smiled now wider and contently at Aomine but didn't say anything else. Aomine expected her to drown him in questions but she began eating instead. He shrugged; if she didn't ask then he wouldn't say more. He didn't have answers anyway.

They ate quietly; there were only the dining noises and other customers' chatting sounds that disturbed their table's silence. Aomine's eyes kept flickering to his friend; she looked thoughtful. It was apparent she was thinking about his words and Kuroko – her ex-boyfriend. They had dated for two years until graduation. Then she had broken up with Kuroko, odd enough. Aomine didn't know what had happened between them exactly; Satsuki had told him that Kuroko had always been so kind and a perfect boyfriend but he hadn't loved her, not like how she had loved him. She'd admitted it had been more of an admiration on her side too, though Aomine knew she had been in love. Even after years, Kuroko had been in some corner of her mind. He'd thought Satsuki would have never completely got over him till the day she'd met again with Wakamatsu. Then she had been dazed, constantly talking and thinking about Wakamatsu, acting absentminded. His smart and level-headed friend had been _goofy_. It'd been weird as hell and Aomine didn't know how that man had managed Satsuki to fall for him. _Who_ would have fallen for such a loud and annoying person anyway? And Satsuki of all people? Aomine still couldn't completely wrap his mind around it but he'd learned to accept. Through their relationship they both had grown up. Aomine had never thought of Satsuki as childish – it hadn't been that kind of growing up but maturing in the ideas of relationship and she'd kept dragging Wakamatsu to the level she'd been. It'd been interesting to watch.

His eyes flickered back to Satsuki to see her watching him, though still hadn't lost her thoughtful look. She spoke when their eyes met. "How are you, Dai-chan?"

"Isn't it too late to ask pleasantry questions?

"Yes but I'm not asking it to please. I'm asking how you _are_ Dai-chan."

He returned to his plate as he gruffly said, "I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me, you're not fine. I can see that you're not!"

Aomine glared at her, his anger quick to rise. "If it's so fucking obvious then why the hell are you asking, Satsuki?!"

She looked just as furious but didn't raise her voice in order not to make a scene. "Because you always answer the same way. I don't know if you are aware how _unwell_ you've been or ignoring it-"

"You want me to say it? Then I'll say it – I am _not_ fine, haven't been since, oh, I don't know—for too fucking long to care!" Aomine was disturbing the other customers with his tone and his words. Now they couldn't dine in peace because of him, could they? ' _Perfect,_ ' he thought with satisfaction.

"Don't you yell at me, Aomine Daiki!" She hissed threateningly. Aomine pursed his lips in mocked seriousness. "Why are you angry at the people who care about you? You are always, _always_ fast to push us away but your mother and I are worried about you! You know what she told me the other day? She said you don't return her calls and she hasn't heard your voice in _months!_ And I'm having trouble sleeping at night thinking about how you're doing-" _She_ couldn't sleep? Aomine had rarely slept 4 hours for the past two fucking years and she was the one who had trouble sleeping? That was rich. "I also-"

"Oh, just go on living your damn happy life and leave me alone. Don't bother "worrying" about me," Aomine interrupted coldly, having his last few bites from his chicken. Satsuki was on the verge of tears and Aomine guessed he gave her the cue to leave the table. However, she instead took in a shaky breath and stubbornly sat, though she didn't eat the rest of her food, leaving more than half of it on the plate. She refused to talk to him either and that was just fine by Aomine. But soon, the stubborn lines of her face changed into a sad one as she whispered.

"Have I been being inconsiderate?" She seemed asking it to herself more than Aomine, "I… have, haven't I? I even sent you the pictures of my honeymoon." The tears were back in her eyes, ready to fall. "But I was trying to cheer you up! I didn't… think…"

"Why the hell would your blessing cheer me up?" Aomine retorted, albeit halfheartedly this time.

"You're right… Of course you're angry at me. No wonder-" She shook her head, unbelieving her own stupidity. "I am sorry, Dai-chan."

Aomine sighed, giving in at the sight of two thin trails of tears adorning her cheeks. He averted his eyes. He thought about before saying, "It's alright. I can't deny that you gotta be happy, too." Hearing his own words leaving his own mouth, he felt a pang of admittance. He couldn't keep blaming her because of her life going well; he didn't have the right to hold that against her. He'd never truly wanted to hate Satsuki even though it'd been incredibly easy.

"Thank you," She had a soaked smile. She wiped her face quickly before reaching for Aomine's hand on the table and lightly holding it. He grunted but didn't take his hand away. Satsuki giggled at his discomfort.

"I hope you both enjoyed your meals."

Satsuki and Aomine looked up in surprise to see the waiter from earlier and a man standing next to their table. Aomine's eyes slightly widened when he recognized the man; he was the guy from the wedding who he had smoked with. The red hair and red eyes were still just as fiery as he remembered. The redhead glanced at Satsuki's filled plate, her wet eyes and their joined hands. Aomine self-consciously separated his hand from Satsuki's; the redhead also still hadn't lost that irritating smile from back then even though it was hidden now.

"Is there a problem with your dish, Wakamatsu-san?"

"Ah, no! No, it was great. I'm just full," She was mildly embarrassed as she gestured towards Aomine. "This is my friend, Aomine Daiki. We both loved your cooking, Kagami-kun. Oh! And the appetizers and the cake were so delicious in my wedding. I heard you made those, thank you so much for your effort. I am impressed with your talent."

The Kagami guy was flustered with Satsuki's constant complimenting what with his slightly reddened face and all. They talked about the food Satsuki ordered, she still keeping with the compliments. Aomine inspected the man's hard lines softening while speaking to Satsuki. The redhead had a muscular built now that Aomine finally had a better look at him. He was probably doing sports and taking care of his body. He did have the height of a basketball player. Aomine wondered what kind of sport the redhead was interested in. Though the redhead's built only reminded him how much he was out of shape. Aomine didn't think he could run half of the miles he had in high school. Maybe he should start running in the mornings again. He soon though lost interest in the topic in his own head as he took out his pack of cigarettes. He searched for his lighter but then thought the guy most likely had his own with him. And the redhead liked to light others' cigarettes anyway.

"Hey, do you have your lighter on you?" The other three turned to him with his interruption. He placed his cigarette between his lips and held his hand out just because maybe the redhead wouldn't expose his weird fetish there.

"Dai-chan, you began smoking again?" Satsuki asked, somewhat shocked. He didn't regard her, waiting for Kagami's response. The redhead's hidden amused and slightly smug smile became visible.

"Of course," He bent towards Aomine, his lighter in his hand and his eyes boring into Aomine's. The bluette moved forward too, when he heard the common _snick_ of the lighter then listened to the low burning of the tobacco and rolling paper as the cigarette was being lit. He didn't turn his eyes away from the crimson ones even while sitting back and casually taking another drag. He gave a short nod of thanks to the man then took a glimpse of the other two occupants who were watching the ordeal in taken aback silence. Satsuki's raised eyebrows only indicated that her initial surprise was lessened but the waiter's baffled, unprofessional expression was saying he was still just as much shocked. However amusing to see the insincere professionalism being thrown out of the window, it was also somewhat bizarre because it was only lighting cigarettes. What was there to extract such reactions, he didn't know.

"Is there anything else you desire?" Kagami guy asked, his eyes on Satsuki but Aomine answered in her place after he exhaled the smoke in the redhead's direction. "No, thanks."

Kagami glanced at him as he nodded and veered off to get back to the kitchen. Aomine watched him leave meanwhile the waiter took their plates and hurried after Kagami. The waiter (what was his name anyway?) said something to the redhead when they were walking side by side. They both looked back at Aomine; the redhead's eyes met with his once again before he returned to the waiter and laughed broadly as he put his hand between the waiter's shoulder blades. They were standing closer than what should be considered normal in Aomine's opinion. He narrowed his eyes, finding the interaction between the two men strangely intimate.

"How did you know Kagami-kun had a lighter, Dai-chan?"

He blinked as he looked at Satsuki, her words not processing completely in his distracted mind. "Huh?"

"I said how did you know Kagami-kun had a lighter?"

"Ah, it's because he lit my cig before." He explained offhandedly even though he knew a mountain of questions would arise and Satsuki didn't disappoint.

"Wait, what? When and where? You guys knew each other already? I guess this explains that weird thing happened between you just now… But you both acted as if you guys didn't know each other when I introduced you! Dai-chan, wha-"

"God, Satsuki, breathe!" He continued when she seemed she was calmed down a bit, "I don't know him, he doesn't know me. We just smoked together in your wedding, it was a _coincidence,_ 'kay?" He shook his head in disbelief, women and their damn need to know every single detail. Satsuki's mouth took the shape of o in understanding as she on her own changed the conversation into an easy one. They talked about their jobs, mostly Satsuki telling him about the long hours she had to work then complaining about how she couldn't see her husband enough because of it. She had a successful carrier as a chief operating officer in some big company and Wakamatsu was the director of management in the same company of hers. No wonder they both had wide spread of important acquaintances though Aomine never got how Wakamatsu landed on his job since he never seemed like the sharpest tool in the shed. Satsuki then scolded him about his insolent attitude he had towards his own work. Aomine dismissed her words; it wasn't like he would walk away if he saw a crime although he didn't have authority now for more than stopping cars and giving speed tickets.

They couldn't sit any longer, Satsuki not being able to extend her late lunch any longer. Aomine had better go to the station as well; he had the night shift. He had the patrolling duty with some newbie wannabe-awesome-cop. Aomine would torture some sense into the kid. He guessed it wouldn't be that much of a boring work for the night then.

Aomine motioned to a different waiter to give them the check; their earlier waiter was nowhere in sight. After Aomine paid their bill, they took their coats from the reception as the receptionist wished his obligatory wishes, Aomine didn't really listened to the man. Satsuki made him promise that he would call his mother when they were about to depart. She then hesitated before hurrying off and hugged Aomine.

"Take care, Dai-chan. And reply to my texts more, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Go now before you're too late."

Satsuki left near running in her high heels. Aomine watched her go to be sure that she was safe at least until she was out of his sight. He turned to the opposite direction and took only couple of steps when he heard the noises coming from the alley next to the restaurant. He decided to check it, didn't realize that could turned out to be a big mistake. He saw two men next to the dumpsters in a position that he could have deemed as hurting one another if he hadn't walked in on Susa and Imayoshi going at it in the latter's office enough.

' _Damn homos,_ ' what was with gay people doing it in the places he could easily see? He was going to walk away before they could sense his presence when he recognized them. It was that Kagami guy and the waiter that had looked at his and Satsuki's table. Now that explained why the waiter had disappeared. Aomine felt annoyed and a quirky urge to disturb their aroused act.

"Hey, do your fucking somewhere else. It is forbidden in public places." Even though he loudly claimed, he wasn't sure if they heard him what with the intense sounds the waiter making and the redhead being way too into screwing the other. But Kagami suddenly froze when his voice boomed over the alley, looking over his shoulder too see Aomine standing in a bored posture at the alley's entrance.

"I'm sure they need you inside."

The waiter was slower to notice him but when he did he was quicker than Kagami to attempt fixing his clothes in panic. The redhead was steadier when he was eventually tucking his shaft in his trousers. Aomine had a good view of it – it was impressive. His eyes lingered one second longer than probably normal considering the situation because when he looked back up, the redhead had a questioning raised eyebrow beside the blush. The waiter flew away from there into the restaurant from its backdoor. Kagami though was still standing in his spot and Aomine too strangely couldn't leave before commenting sarcastically.

"Not the best place to be humping," he pointed the dumpsters.

Kagami shrugged, getting over his embarrassment quickly. "It's convenient." His airy reply astounded Aomine for a moment. He couldn't help snorting before he began laughing. Kagami, though surprised at first, joined him. Soon they both were cracking up with tears pooling in their eyes; it was so rare for Aomine not to be able to contain the humor he felt. He was having cramps moments later but it felt so good to be letting it all out; he hadn't laughed this hard in years. Kagami spoke in the end as they were calming down.

"Sorry, it won't happen again, Officer Aomine-san."

"Yeah, you better keep that in mind and _that_ in your pants 'cause I'll be coming more often."

Kagami smiled, "I'll be waiting then." He moved to go back in after the waiter with a nod for Aomine when he was getting inside from the backdoor. Aomine continued his walk towards his destination with a lighter mind and feelings. He'd just said so that he would be coming frequently for the moment but he would really be eating in Shiro Tora soon. Their food was good, their employees were interesting and it was on his way home from the station. It might even become his new favorite place.


	4. Chapter 3

He opened his canteen, having a sip of whisky to warm up. He tried to light his cigarette with matches but the wind and the rain were too strong even though he was under some convenience store's shelter. He hated these night shifts; it wasn't more than a hindrance and a danger for being an ice sculpture in winter. He stood alone now because he couldn't stand to the new attended cop any longer as he'd gotten out of the car; telling the newbie take patrols while he'd been having his peace of mind in the deafening silence. He attempted again to keep the flame alive while taking a benefit from it for his cigarette. He managed in his third try when the wind stilled for a moment and he was finally having his precious drags. While drinking and smoking, it was only slightly better not to give a way to the haunting thoughts.

The wind was blowing aggressively again, the rain wetting him and the cigarette wrapper. He shivered from the cold pouring through his clothes. He wished he could have skipped winter and found himself in spring. The winter was never good news; accidents, injuries, deaths – a challenge for survival. Like a universal code, everything bad happened in this season. Nothing could make his peace with it.

The wind blew away the rest of the tobacco from the filter when he came towards the end of the cigarette. He threw the tip with a flick, irritated. He decided to have some snacks before smoking another one. When he got inside the convenience store, he saw the kid behind the register jump with the sound of jingling that was a messenger of an arrived customer. The kid seemed half-asleep in his seat, thick books opened in the small desk in front of him – he was a student; he looked old enough to be attending the college. Aomine greeted him with a shake of his head before walking deep inside the store towards the grocery coolers. An onigiri or two sounded good in his head for a midnight snack. He was trying to pick which kind he should buy when he heard the jingling of the door twice and the cashier kid's voice.

"Hey, um, can I help you?"

Aomine paused to listen carefully what was happening; the kid sounded agitated. The theft late in the night wasn't an unusual case especially in 24/7 open convenience stores. That was one of the reasons why there were police officers patrolling the area. That was why Aomine had to put up with the torturous work. He was ready to act with the next suspicious sound and it came without a moment's wait.

"Yeah, you can start giving us all the money in there."

"Aargh! P-please don't hurt me!"

Aomine moved swiftly between the aisles, focusing on his steps not to make any noise. He peered through the shelves to elevate the situation, whether or not the thieves were armed. They had pocket knives as far as Aomine could make of the scene. The cashier's eyes made a contact with his; Aomine placed his finger on his lips in warning for the kid not to say anything that would give away his presence. The thieves didn't realize there was another customer in the store let alone a cop since they were solely crowding the helpless student. Fortunately, he didn't give any indications that he saw Aomine behind the thugs. His whole body was trembling when he put his hands on the register in an effort to open it but Aomine didn't miss the quick movement of his hand placing itself under the desk for a fleeting second. Aomine was sure he pushed the button that alarmed the closest police station. ' _Smart kid,_ ' the thought passed briefly before Aomine stepped out from his hiding spot and pulled out his .38 revolver. The sound of drawing a bullet echoed in the store as he roared.

"Put your hands up! It's the police!"

The burglars froze and the student looked remotely relieved.

"Put your hands behind your heads and don't move," Aomine carefully walked towards them but he was aware he didn't have any handcuffs on him. He released his left hand from the gun as he reached for the transceiver on his breast pocket and turned on the two-way receiver. "Imai, we have a situation in X store." The crosstalk noises were heard before the newbie's voice came through it. "I'm on my way, Aomine-senpai!" Aomine guessed Imai would arrive before the reinforcements and be there in a few minutes. He got to stall by then.

The thugs were standing rigid, hands on their neck as he ordered and the kid wasn't making any unnecessary movements that would cause a problem but Aomine had an uneasy feeling. "Turn around slowly. Don't think doing anything stupid," He threatened, his voice saying he wasn't afraid to use his gun if he saw fit. He could only anticipate the thugs weren't stupid enough to make him.

Though everything seemed going accordingly without a problem, the uneasiness was still there, like an increasing siren with every passing second. He knew better than ignoring his instincts. He didn't let anything distract him from watching the thieves as they were turning around to face him. They had black hoods over their heads and lower half of their faces were hidden by scarves. He heard the screech of tires; the newbie must have been closer to the location than he thought. Imai was already coming through the door; his weapon wasn't drawn yet. Aomine's instincts were telling him not to calm down; instead, there was a scream in his head that he should take action. Immediately.

Imai quickly closed in on the first guy near the door, pushing him down as he arrested the man and read him his rights. Aomine thought about lowering his gun, he might be overcharging the situation after all, but that brief hesitation was enough for the second thug to jump on Imai, proving the bluette's instincts right. He bended Imai's arm behind his back; the younger officer cried in pain as the thug placed his knife against the officer's throat. Aomine cursed under his breath.

"Drop your gun!"

Aomine didn't make any move to obey the man's command, looking for an opening. He glanced at the student; he was quivering all over in fear as his face was messed with tears and snot. The arrested thief was struggling to stand up. The one who took Imai hostage was staring at Aomine wide eyed. Aomine knew something drastic was going to happen the moment he noticed the maddened glint in the thug's dilated pupils. He was on drugs.

"Are you fucking deaf?! I said drop it! Or I will slit his throat!" He pressed the sharp edge of the knife until it drew a drop of blood trailing down Imai's throat.

Aomine wasn't as certain of himself anymore. The man obviously wasn't in his right mind; even his accomplice on the floor was eyeing him frightfully.

"Hey, man, stop it. I-I-I don't wanna go in jail because of m-murder…!" His partner made an effort to get through the man's logic, his voice soothing but dreadful.

"Shaddup! We're gonna do some time any-fucking-way, might as well make it worth!" The thug smirked sickeningly.

"No, dude! It _isn't_ worth it! Don't do it-!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The thug screeched insanely and began repeatedly kicking his friend from the head. The man, with his hands cuffed behind his back, cringed. Blood was seeping from the wound but the thug didn't stop kicking until his friend passed out. His face was an unrecognizable mess; there were teeth in the pooling blood on the floor. Aomine's eyes met with Imai's; the newbie was frustrated and determined, big brown eyes telling Aomine to shoot even if that meant killing him.

' _That idiot!_ ' Aomine's heart was thumping in his chest with anger but his hand was steady and mind collected. He was sure of what to do now.

"Hey, scumbag!" He attracted the thug's attention back to himself. "You shoulda listened to your friend instead of beating him to the ground. Do you have any idea what the sentence is for killing a cop?"

"Oh, I don't kno~w, a life time? Death penalty?" The thug's voice sarcastic, he belittled, "I don't give a shit's ass! And what kinda copper calls himself a cop? Oh! Oh, wait! You know what? I don't fucking CARE! I _hate_ you! I fucking HATE all of you-!" He was spiting every word, lost in his own loathing. He wasn't even looking at Aomine properly anymore as he yelled his detest but the bluette was yet to lose his calm. His eyes were on Imai, wordlessly conveying him that was his cue to take action. Imai blinked his understanding; they only had a slim chance and they had to use it well. Any mistakes would be fatal.

When the thug's knife felt loosened on his jugular, Imai hanged with all his might on the man's wrist. He pushed the knifed hand away from his throat as even a centimeter was going to count. Imai tried to hold the knifed hand as far as possible with only one arm power and leaned his head to his right side.

"Argh! You shity-!"

"Senpai!"

Gun blast thundered through the store when multiple sirens notified the reinforcement's arrival.

* * *

A pair of crimson eyes snap opened, startled. The worst kind of waking up had to be this frequent beating of his heart and not even remembering the dream that had caused it. Kagami sat up slowly, actually in immediate need of peeing and showering. He felt his stench more than smelling it. He'd had too much booze last night but he was one of the blessed ones who never got a hangover in the morning. He was carefully getting up when another shuffle was heard from the other side of the bed. He looked at the woman he didn't remember the name of; her soft blue eyes were idly blinking up at him. Kagami remembered then why he'd picked her up – he was a true sucker for blue eyes.

"'Morning."

"Is it morning already?" She stretched lazily under the covers, hiding a yawn with the back of her hand.

"Yeah but you can turn back to sleep." He was on his way to the bathroom when he said next, "I'm just gonna take a shower and go out for a run."

"You run after shower?" Kagami heard her ask through the bathroom's open door.

"Yeah!"

"You're weird," She was giggling, amused by something Kagami didn't get. He stepped back inside the bedroom, a towel in his hands to dry his splashed face, also smiling but a split eyebrow was raised.

"I am?"

She nodded; when Kagami was veering, she stopped him.

"Can I take a shower too when I wake up?"

"Sure. You can also eat something from the fridge, should be some leftovers."

"Thanks. Will you be here to have breakfast with me?"

Kagami inwardly sighed. "Probably no," He attempted to sound more apologetic than he felt. The woman seemed disappointed for a second but then she hogged the pillow, taking a more comfortable position for sleeping.

"Mkay."

He reentered the bathroom, throwing his dirty boxer into the hamper and getting in the shower cabinet for a quick wash. He was already out and getting dried in a few minutes. He dropped the towel into the hamper as well before going back to his room naked. The woman was fast asleep what with the steady rise and fall of her chest and even breathing. Kagami, careful to be quiet, dressed his running tracksuit; mid-calf black tights, red undervest and a white hoodie over it.

He took his pack of smokes, cash and keys with him before leaving a short note for the other temporary occupant of his house that it was okay not to lock the door on her way out. Kagami guessed he'd left her with enough messages to get her to leave before he came back.

His friends warned him about the dangers of his habits and also taunted him that he would be screwing a psychopath one of these days and that was going to be the end of him. Though Kagami understood the value of their point, he had confidence in his skills of valuating a person's character in the first meeting. He was rarely wrong in his deductions and he'd never got robbed nor had a major problem with his one-night stands. Worse, they wouldn't be gone when he returned home; at worst, they would be clingy. But this one was pretty much okay; she understood the ropes of a one-night deal. Though, just in case, his valuable things were hidden; not that she couldn't find them if she looked. Still, Kagami didn't have any problems leaving her in his bed alone because she wouldn't be there when he got back.

He wore his incredibly light running shoes; it was like putting on feathers and he wanted to be running already, freely and inside the tough nature surrounding him. However first, he had a short distance to go by subway before reaching his favorite park. He got to be patient till then if he wanted to fully enjoy his morning routine although patience wasn't his strongest virtue.

* * *

His body could finally relax on the mattress at 6 am. He was truly exhausted. He believed he could sleep without any extra aid and fall asleep right away. It had been a long night. After the incident in the convenience store concluded, the night had gone slowly. His and the newbie's statements had been taken smoothly but the student hadn't been in any state to give his. The poor kid probably wouldn't be getting over seeing a man being shot in front of him. The thief's blood had been sprayed all over the lad. He'd been taken to the station and the injured men had been sent to the hospital, Susa going after them to supervise. The brunette and his partner had been the first ones to arrive the scene. Aomine just knew Susa would be trying to talk to him about it. He was a damn worry-wart like that. It wasn't Aomine's first time shooting a man and it wouldn't have been his first kill if the man had died though his condition was still unstable. But that didn't stop the display replaying over and over in his head; the bullet burying in the thug's collarbone, his blood gushing out, the man falling over and passing out but the blood keep pouring and pouring.

Aomine exhaled, turning to his side and forcing his arms and legs to get under the covers. He felt tired to the bone, so why the hell sleep wasn't coming fast enough?

* * *

The streets had the dead silence; the sun was trying to parade in the sky but only thick clouds were selectable. It was too early for the sun to shine anyway and Kagami didn't need the lead of the daylight to know where his feet were taking him. He had that childish feeling whenever he went for a good sprint.

The usually crowded park was now devoid of any living beings at 5:30 in the morning. He had one and half an hour before humans opened their eyes to the new rising day and flowed out of their homes. Since it was rainy and cold, Kagami was also the only runner who was devoted enough. He pulled his hood up as his legs found their regular rhythm quickly. He was tracking down the road that was for the sportsmen. Soon, he was going through the miniature forest; the trees were stilled blurs in his view. The lake he was swiftly passing by had the tranquility of glass and the equanimity of Kagami's mind. The ducks were huddled together, fluffed up their feathers; even they were sleeping. The redhead was chortling at the sweetness of nature and because of the fun he was having. The time had already lost its concept.

He was finishing his fourth lap when he noticed another man running in front of him. Kagami was mostly acquainted with the other runners in the park and their movements but he didn't recognize this guy's. He was wearing a gray beanie, deep blue shorts and a black shirt; not very convenient for doing sports in the cold weather. He was obviously new; his rhythm was off too. Kagami didn't spare him a glance as he passed by him. But the sound of steps behind the redhead instead of fading, it increased. Was the man attempting to catch up to him? Kagami stepped up his speed, intended to leave the man in the dust; he wasn't going to let a new guy achieve something anyone else had yet to manage.

He couldn't hear the man coming behind him anymore, so he refocused on adjusting his speed from accelerating to constant. He was amazed when he again picked out other splashing footsteps on the mud as Kagami reached to the spacious road beside the lake. This dude was persistent. The redhead grinned broadly; it wasn't like he was going to refuse an invitation for race.

Another two laps spent as Kagami getting faster and the man trying to keep up with him, until the new guy did really become fast enough to run right behind Kagami. The redhead wanted to congratulate or encourage him or just comment on something because it was really fun and the new guy had to feel the same. Though instead, he just laughed then heard the man cussing, probably at Kagami since he was sounding like a jerk making fun of the beginner even to his own ears. He looked over his shoulder to correct that but at that instant, the man tripped over a small hole on the road and staggered.

"Watch out!"

The redhead reached out and grasped the man to prevent him from falling but the momentum made both of them collapse to the ground in sequence. Kagami groaned; he'd fallen in a really bad way but the other seemed he was in a worse shape than the redhead. Kagami was the first one to get on his feet but he regretted the moment he managed it. His right ankle hurt like hell. He spouted colorful string of curses; his morning run might be cut in half. He directed his pain and anger to the man he saw as the convict.

"Hey, watch where you're stepping on-! Eh?" Kagami was baffled because the new guy turned out to be someone he really didn't expect to see; he was the officer who had come to the shop two weeks ago. His fury quickly perished. But the same couldn't be said for the officer. He looked up at Kagami with indignant gorgeous blue irises even though recognition was also in there.

"Oh so you were the dickhead showing off before me. Why am I not surprised?"

Kagami sort of anticipated the grouchy response since he'd already labeled the man as ill-tempered and foul mouthed, so he didn't respond nor waited for the officer's failing attempts at getting up to be successful. He extended his hand. Officer Aomine hesitated before taking it and standing up with the help of the redhead. Kagami thought about going back to running, the pain in his ankle didn't seem to be going to last long after all, but he wasn't sure of leaving the bluette behind, soaked in mud and looking slightly pitiful.

Aomine was trying to brush of the mud but it was only working as spreading it further. He glanced at Kagami to see the redhead watching him, unsure of what to do. "What are you looking at?" He was attempting to get rid of the mud on his hands this time. "Go on, keep your running. I'm going home."

Kagami nodded though still couldn't leave the man's side.

"Ugh…"

"What?"

"Would you… like to have a cup of coffee? You know, after you got cleaned up." The bluette seemed he was valuating why the redhead would offer it. Kagami continued, "I'm buying, you know, ugh, as an apology?" He finished lamely; he didn't know why _he_ should be apologizing either.

Aomine narrowed his eyes in doubt. The redhead scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward, and smearing his hood with dirt without knowing.

"You have mud on you, too." Aomine pointed Kagami's tights. The redhead turned his attention on his clothes and was surprised to see the man was right; there was brown liquid dripping from his bottom then he noticed his dirty hands. "Ah, shit!"

Aomine snorted before he gave his approval. "Okay, I'll meet you at the café around the corner in half and I'll bring something you can change into."

"Ugh, sorry."

"See ya." The bluette veered off, leaving quickly but then yelled over his shoulder. "Oh yeah, and I drink my coffee black!" Kagami watched him to become another model in the flock of humans before returning to his exercise, much slower compared to the earlier. The park was still pretty much empty but the streets were getting crowded with the students and the people who were going to work.

When he was around the lake, he stopped to wash his hands and splash his face with the cold water. It felt refreshing against his hot flesh. He checked his appearance from his reflection on the glassy surface of the lake. A strange need of fixing his hair came over him even though it was going to be messy again in a matter of seconds. His hair was naturally spiky in random directions and the wind was going to make it worse while running. He took in a deep a breath before going back to the road. He shook his head as he gained his rhythm back. He should stop acting like a little girl having a crush. But that officer was the epitome of being cool and Kagami felt lame just being near to him. It was an annoying clash of his ego and a simple reaction to want to be just as cool. He wasn't normally so self-conscious. Even thinking about it made him feel stupid. He was in his freaking mid-twenties, not a kid anymore.

Feeling irritated, he increased his speed, letting the abundant oxygen and heavy exercise help him get over the puerile emotions. He spent the rest of his time fighting against them. He changed his direction towards the café when the given half an hour was over. He spotted the bluette immediately when he got inside. Aomine was sitting in one of the boots beside the window, watching the people passing by and smoking. Kagami walked towards the shop's clerk to give his order. The clerk recognized him and greeted right away.

"Good morning, Kagami-san."

"'Morning. Can I have-"

"An orange juice, 12 bagels, 4 of them with cheese and 4 with olive and a grande Cappuccino, right?"

"Also an Americano, ugh, grande," The clerk nodded as he paid the amount. "Thanks." He went towards where Aomine was seated.

"Sorry, did you wait long?"

Aomine replied as holding out a bag. "You better change first."

"Right, thanks." He took the bag from the bluette before going to the restroom. The bluette had put in it a baggy trouser; Kagami wore it quickly and returned to the boot. His orders arrived the moment he sat. He pushed the Americano to the bluette as he apologized, "I didn't know which size to buy." He heard Aomine's answer saying that it was fine but Kagami was completely captivated by the delicious sight of his bagels. Then he looked up as he was about to begin eating to see the man sitting across from him making a marginally astonished face.

"Oh, do you want some?"

Aomine shook his head but then he asked. "Because you're gonna need help with those…?"

"No, not really." He tucked the first pastry in his mouth. "Sure you don't want any?"

"Yeah. How can you eat so much in the morning anyway and… _why_?"

"To replenish some energy!"

Aomine raised an eyebrow and sipped his coffee. Kagami didn't take the stare further as he turned to his breakfast. People tended to find his eating habits abnormal and disgusting especially in Japan. He couldn't help it if he had a healthy metabolism. It was good that the employees of this café had gotten used to it. It was only natural though, since he ate almost every day in here – a part of his morning routine.

"You should eat too if you wanna put some meat on your bones. You look rather scrawny. Healthy appetite is important."

Aomine rolled his eyes as he put out his cigarette and lit another one. "I don't think you'll find anyone whose appetite can compete with yours on the planet if this is how much you usually eat. And you're the last person to lecture me about _health_. You smoke too, don't you."

Kagami tucked another bagel in his mouth. "Yeah but I run every day. You can't both smoke and laze around. Or drink alcohol and eat fast food. If you're gonna have a bad habit, you have to balance it with something equally healthy."

"What's this, your motto?"

"Exactly."

The deep blue eyes were mocking him; the man apparently wasn't taking his words seriously. "Whatever. I know I won't be running again, that's for sure."

Kagami reached and took the crackling cigarette from Aomine's mouth. Taking advantage of the bluette's shock, he quickly grabbed the pack on the table. "Then you can't smoke."

Aomine then stated coolly. "I'll just buy another one."

"Ah!" Kagami didn't consider that option. "True… But you shouldn't." He reluctantly put Aomine's pack in front of him again. Aomine snatched back his cigarette. "It's your fault that I'm even smoking, remember?"

"Really?!"

"Yeah. At the wedding. You lit my first cigarette in two years since I quit. You don't remember? And you were even spot on about that I quit but I guess you were too engrossed with your fetish to think about it."

"A-ah haha, sorry… maybe," Kagami felt embarrassed and couldn't believe he didn't notice his guilt until the bluette nearly spelled it out to him. "Why did you quit anyway?"

Aomine became quiet and the redhead thought he asked an unexpectedly sensitive question. He guessed Aomine wouldn't answer but the bluette eventually talked. "Someone important to me wanted me to quit and I did, in the end. But I was too late… so I've begun again. It was pointless anyway."

The silence that followed Aomine's words was uncomfortable. The bluette looked lost in his haze of memories and Kagami felt awkward because he was aware of the past in Aomine's speech. The sapless look in the blue eyes was enough to let Kagami know what had happened to the bluette's important person. He didn't ask how it had happened because he knew the question whirling in the bluette's mind was _why_. The redhead could relate to some extent, so he didn't disturb the silence but it was making his nerves stand on edge. He regretted finishing his bagels and orange juice, only the cappuccino was left to compensate. Aomine was the one to speak first after a while, thankfully.

"So why aren't you having breakfast in your workplace?"

"I sometimes do but I usually can't find the time. And I like this place," He could finally light his well-earned cigarette and enjoy his every drag without a care. "Although I know I'm very lucky to be working in such a qualified place, I don't plan on staying there long."

"What, are you trying to be detached then? Not like what you're doing or something? It's not easy to switch jobs like that now is it?"

Kagami shook his head. "It isn't about the work or the shop. I'll return there." The redhead didn't wait to answer to the questioning gaze of the other, "America."

"America?"

Kagami nodded.

"I thought you were Japanese. I mean your Japanese is good enough."

The redhead perked, "Thanks, I worked hard to fix that. I was insulting people at first without realizing. I was warned a _lot_ to not be so rude," he offhandedly laughed. "I am Japanese but I'd been living in LA since I was an elementary kid till I came back to Japan 5 years ago."

"That so-" The bluette's phone began ringing, retaining him from further commenting. He dug out his cellphone from his tossed aside jacket and checked the caller ID. His face creased with annoyance and he let the phone rang for a couple of times before he answered.

"What? …No I wasn't sleeping…yeah…so he's still alive…no…whatever…how is that kid? He talked yet-?"

Kagami observed the officer as he spoke with the person on the other line. His expressions were only of irritation and being pestered. Aomine was probably generally a jerk to everyone, so maybe Kagami should wonder how he could enjoy the bluette's company. However, he had the idea there was more than that to this person. Kagami resembled Aomine to a prideful soldier who had lost his leg in the war. After he returned home, even if he was staggering on his one leg, he refused to ask anyone help because he was still fighting and everybody else was the enemy. Kagami didn't sit in this café together with the bluette because he felt pity. He simply wondered what would happen if the bluette stripped away his dense with proud mask. What would the redhead see then? Which expressions would Aomine wear? Everyone wore masks to hide themselves and nobody would take them off just for anyone. Kagami didn't have ambitions like he could be the one who can make the bluette take off his but he wanted to be there when the bluette eventually did and witness to the real Aomine.

"-yeah, yeah…I _got_ it! …no I won't call him…I said no, Susa shut it…I'll see the chief when I see the chief…yeah…yeah…whatever." Aomine hung up and looked at Kagami. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Call from work?"

"You could say that."

Kagami took the last sip from his milky, brain-healing good as he thought it was time to leave for work and inhaled several long last drags from his cigarette before he finally put it out on the ashtray and got up from his seat, "Well, I have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow at 6."

"I don't think so." Aomine calmly gulped his coffee.

The redhead slammed his hands on the table as he leaned over and beamed, "The balance, Aomine, you have to keep the balance! I'll _see_ _you_ tomorrow." He turned around to leave; just a few steps left to the door, Aomine called him behind.

"Hey!"

"Hmm?"

"6 is too early. Make it 6:30 and maybe I'll show up."

Kagami grinned, "Alright, I accept it for now."

"Cocky ass."

"Arrogant bastard!" The redhead yelled over his shoulder before he exited the café.


	5. Chapter 4

"Two Salmon Agrodolce!"

"Got it!"

Kagami swiftly collected the ingredients and told his assistant to bring out the salmon. First he prepared the salmon fillets at one side, making a quick and precise work with the fish, meanwhile pouring oil into a large saucepan. As the oil began sizzling, he added sauté red onions to be waited until they were golden-brown. He checked the fish; when he decided they were half-done, he returned to the sauce, stirring the crisp-tender onions in vinegar, sugar and salt then stirring them in molten butter. With the fillets fairly cooked, the meal was ready but Kagami's work wasn't finished. In restaurants like Shiro Tora, presentation was as important as a tasty dinner. He spread the sweet-sour sauce out on two platters, careful not to splash the oil to the edges, and aligned the salmon fillets over the onions. When he was satisfied, he carried the platters to the counter for the dishes ready to be served.

He got the next order and began working on it; he had the long shift in Sundays. All of the staff was present including Sato; to carry the work on quicker, Kagami and the head chef maintained a division of labor, though Sato undertook most of the difficult meals to cook. Moreover, they were expecting the owner that night. There was the tension couldn't be disregarded upon the staff and Kagami was excited to finally see the man. It was strange since he'd been working at Shiro Tora for about half a year now and Kagami never met with the owner. Although the man dined in his restaurant once a month, it had always been overlapping with Kagami's days off.

But not today.

He had to be at work early in the morning through late at night. At long last he was going to meet with his employer or at least see who the man was. Or so he thought.

"One Chicken Teriyaki!"

Kagami smiled, thinking it might be the guy who he be friended recently giving the order.

"I got it!"

He told his assistant to fix the chicken as he set to prepare the teriyaki sauce.

Aomine and he were warming up to each other in a stepwise fashion. 98 percent of their friendship consisted of insulting and mocking but the 2 left was real. Aomine didn't seem to be searching for a deep relationship with anyone in particular, so their friendship was light and easy. Even though the guy appeared like he was carrying a heavy burden and thick scars more than anyone could easily understand their depth, the redhead was fine with whatever. He was enjoying the stage their friendship was lurking.

"Taiga-san, do you think it's that officer?"

Kagami looked at his assistant, grinning and shrugged.

"Hayashi-san! Is it Taiga-san's officer friend giving the order?"

Hayashi gave the assistant a cold glare but he clearly said, "Yes."

"Man, Taiga-san, having a police officer as your friend is so cool!"

Kagami absentmindedly smiled at his assistant, Ken, but inwardly sighed. Ken might not see the look Hayashi wore but Kagami did. His young assistant was busy with admiring him, convinced that whatever the redhead did was something straight out of a masculinity book for cool men. Ken was a cute kouhai but Kagami was fretting over Hayashi's attitude. The waiter had apparently deemed Aomine the redhead's partner. Hayashi's jealousy was something Kagami had no patience to deal with. He should have known better than hooking up with someone from work. Curse his slanting turquoise eyes.

"Chicken's ready!" declared Ken after a while.

Kagami checked his assistant's work, "Good job."

The youngster looked pleased with himself as Kagami fixed the plate and walked off with it to the dining hall. He spotted the bluette sitting at the bar stall. It wasn't allowed to eat at the bar but Aomine was an exception since he was Kagami's friend.

"Here you go, sir. Special delivery from the assistant chef."

Aomine looked up to see Kagami's grinning face but didn't regard the redhead right away; his immediate interest lied with the food Kagami had brought. "Itadakimasu," he dug in his food instantly and didn't say any other word until he was halfway done, "What's up?"

Kagami was already getting used to the bluette's antics; he didn't bat an eyelid as he answered, "Nothing much. It's hectic inside." He exhaled in exhaustion.

"Business good today, huh? Then don't you need to be in there instead of watching me eat, creep."

The redhead clicked his tongue, "I am going back, ungrateful louse." He veered off but didn't walk away when he heard Aomine suggest, "Hey, I'm off tonight. Let's go out for a drink."

"I don't think I can make it today-"

"Taiga," Kagami was interrupted by the head chef, Sato, as he was surprised to see the old man standing right behind him. "Can I have a word with you?"

"Sure," He let the old cook lead him to a relatively hidden corner of the hall.

"So he's that friend of yours I keep hearing 'bout?" Sato threw Aomine a short thoughtful look.

Kagami nodded when the head chef's eyes were on him again. "Alright, listen. Tonight, you're off-"

"What? But I-"

"Don't cut me off, kid! Look, I know I worked you hard this week. Go get social or what you kids say these days."

"Sato-san, the boss is coming tonight. Don't you need help?" The redhead didn't feel right leaving everything on his mentor.

"I can handle it just fine, shitty kid! Who do you think you're talking to, eh? Go drink with your friend and get some girls, you earned it."

"A-ah, you heard that?"

"Yeah, I did. I'm old, not deaf! You can leave at 8, alright?"

Kagami slowly nodded though he couldn't stop himself from murmuring, "But I wanted to meet the boss…"

Sato patted his shoulder and smiled with a hint of guilt, "Next time, son. Now remember! 3 things in life will kill you; smoking too much, drinking too much and-"

"Playing around too much. Yeah, yeah I know, damn geezer!"

Sato slapped the back of his head, "You know it but you still do it, eh!?"

"Oww…!" Kagami tried to nurse the pain, Sato's hits hurt like hell; he glared at the old man through his watery eyes. Sato laughed loudly and ruffled his spiky hair. "I warn you 'cause if I don't, you'll sure catch a disease. Your meathead doesn't get my wisdom!" The chef released another boisterous laugh as he walked away. Kagami eyed his grumpy father-figure, flummoxed and unaware that he was also watched with an unwavering blank gaze of indigo eyes. The redhead got back at Aomine's side with mixed feelings of confusion, gratitude and disappointment; in the meantime, the officer was already done with his chicken.

"I'm off at 8."

"Yeah? See you then." Aomine left to pay his debt at the register while Kagami returned to the kitchen to finish up his remaining work. Something about being unable to even see his employer wasn't sitting right with him.

* * *

Aomine gulped down two shots of scotch while Kagami was trying to get over one. He screwed his face when he finally managed to swallow the burning liquor.

"Man, that's bitter."

"Hah! Sissy."

"Shut it! Vodka is the best," He ordered two shots of vodka, pushing one to the bluette sitting next to him at the bar when the bartender laid the two shots of clear liquid.

Kagami drank without waiting; Aomine first sniffed his. "Gah-! Smells like hospital."

The redhead laughed, "That's pure alcohol for you!" He watched the bluette hesitating to put something alerted his senses in his mouth. When he finally gulped the liquor, he loudly claimed, "Disgusting! …Like it."

Kagami laughed more; he was enjoying his night out with the asshole. Aomine was a good drinking partner and the guy knew how to hold his liquor. He'd already forgotten his disappointment as his eyes met with the girl through the mirror behind the bottles. The chick was shamelessly ogling him since he and Aomine came to the bar, though too bad her eyes were black.

Eventually Aomine either noticed the woman staring at Kagami without a blink, "Hey, this chick's checking you out."

"I know."

"You know? Well, aren't you gonna talk to her?"

"Nah, not my type."

"Oh yeah, yeah, too bad she isn't a dude, huh?" Aomine loosely smirked as he signaled the bartender to give them more whiskey.

"Men are not my only type, fucktard. I like girls too."

"Really?" The bluette was shocked because he never considered the third option for the redhead. "Then what's wrong with her? She has a nice rack, one size small for me though."

Kagami didn't want to let the guy know his weakness against the pretty blue eyes. He'd already reckoned Kagami a freak because he'd lit his cigarettes for him a couple of times, also Aomine had one of the most attractive eyes Kagami had seen but he would never come on to a friend. "You like big boobs, huh? You're so obviously shallow, dude." Therefore, he slightly changed the subject.

"No, not big boobs. Giant boobs, man."

"Sheesh," Kagami took a break of drinking and lazily lit a cigarette while Aomine was busy with sneering. "What else is your type?"

"Mmm," The bluette gravely pondered over it for a few seconds, "Slim waist and cute face, I guess… Oh and, wide hips."

Kagami snorted, "Okay, tell me when you find that porn star." He mocked but just at the moment, he miraculously spotted the scarce female the bluette had described. "I don't believe this but… Dude, check this one out. How about her?"

"Hmm, where? Oh…" Aomine gazed at the woman no more than 3 seconds before his attention was back to the alcohol and tobacco.

"What, that's it? 'Oh…'" Kagami mimicked his reaction and earned a glare from Aomine.

"She's not that good."

Kagami gaped, "You gotta be kidding me! She looks straight out of a calendar!" He eyed Aomine in bemused silence, "Ah, I get it." His teasing tone and evil glint in crimson eyes got Aomine's attention. "You scared, right? Scared that you'll be rejected, wimp? But I get it. She _is_ kinda out of your league."

" _No_ _woman_ is out of my league, fucktard! And if she's that good, why don't you go get her? Though _you_ definitely will be rejected," Aomine smirked at the redhead with good intended humor.

"Hah! So that you'll fucking snatch her away from me!?" The moment he'd opened his mouth, Kagami knew he'd regret it because the words would have come out more angrier and less humorous than they should have been.

"Woah, where did this come from?"

Kagami shook his head, "Sorry, man, it's just… Never mind, forget it. Didn't mean to snap, sorry." He was fucking stupid; he probably ruined a fine night out with a friend. He urgently signaled the bartender to give him something strong to drink. The officer was silently regarding him; he had a questioning look in his eyes but he didn't speak on it. Well at least he gave Kagami a moment to be poisoned first.

"You don't have a girlfriend or a boyfriend or whatever, right?"

' _Whatever?_ ' The redhead felt a comical sweat drop rolling down on his head but he was aware of where this conversation would lead. He sighed, resigning without putting up a fight. Of course anyone would be curious about his stupid outburst. "Yeah, I don't."

"King of one-night stands, yeah?" Aomine turned to Kagami for affirmation.

"I'm actually impressed you could say something embarrassing so easily… but yeah, kinda."

"Why would such a goody two-shoes like you not have a girlfriend and sleep around?"

"Goody two-shoes? I'm not that fine, you know."

"Please," Aomine rolled his eyes, "You're one of those who think 'grin and bear it' is the best solution to every damn thing. Men like you prefer settling down early, don't they?"

"No. No, no. Settle down? No, I'm good," The redhead nervously chuckled as he began gulping down shots after shots. He glanced at Aomine seated beside him and clearly saw that the bluette wasn't going to let the topic die out just yet. Kagami signaled for more shots.

"You won't get a girlfriend with that attitude."

Of course, Kagami knew that. That was the reason why he had the attitude. And why was the bluette still pursuing this subject? He was sort of regretting for letting Aomine shift the conversation onto him. It was also just as irritating that he couldn't read Aomine's expression, save the determined look. Kagami eventually decided that he'd reveal a bit before he found himself flipping the pages of a dusty old book.

"I _don't_ want a girlfriend, I don't wanna be in a serious relationship with anyone, and I'm not-" Kagami drew another cigarette from his pack but couldn't find his lighter. He'd just used it, where the hell did the damn thing go?

"Here," Kagami snatched the lighter without paying much heed when Aomine held his own for the redhead to use. He needed to cool off; he was making a too big deal out of few simple words. He instantly felt calmer when he deeply inhaled the smoke of the cigarette. "Thanks…"

He glanced at the bluette from the corner of his eyes; the officer was silent, waiting for Kagami to talk. The redhead watched the tobacco burn, his gaze absent, he told, "You know it's the usual story. Been in a relationship with this girl for… How long was it now? 4 years? Yeah, for 4 long years. She was- I mean, I was going through some stuff, bad stuff. Mostly my fault but she… She was the only good thing… We both were children though and I don't know how much I should blame her now but back then, when she cheated, I was… I mean I… I-I really… _loved_ her, you know?" Kagami looked at Aomine; the bluette was still silent but Kagami saw he did understand how much his girlfriend could have meant for him. He felt relieved even though he didn't know why; he didn't care. It felt good to be understood.

"Then what?"

Kagami turned to his cigarette and humorlessly laughed, "What do you mean what? We broke up! …Then she-" He had to pause because the bartender abruptly put another shot of vodka in front of him. "This is from the lady over there," the man said as he pointed someone from Kagami's behind. He felt grateful for the distraction because he'd been about to say more than he'd planned. In a moment of unawareness, he looked over his shoulder where the bartender had pointed and saw the woman who had been checking him out. He swore inwardly but smiled at the woman as he raised his glass in fake appreciation.

The woman smirked and stood up from her seat; Kagami cursed under his breath when he saw the woman coming toward them. He immediately focused on his drink and quickly gulped it down, hoping the chick would give up but she was apparently bolder than the redhead thought. As she arrived, she leaned on the bar stall in between Kagami and Aomine, completely blocking the view of the latter, "Hi."

"Hey. Thanks for the drink."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it-" Kagami had said no such thing though, "Do you want to have another drink with me?" She touched his forearm, slightly pushing up his folded sleeve.

"Not tonight, honey. I'm with a friend," Kagami smiled flirtatiously at her as he inclined his head towards to the blocked Aomine , though he was wishing her to leave already. Her timing was terrible; he wasn't in the mood.

She briefly seemed offended but she hid it well as she didn't even look at the officer right behind her and showed a seducing smile to the redhead, "Oh, that's too bad. Then how about I'll give you my number and you can call me whenever you want?"

Wow, since when Japanese women were this daring, "Sure," Kagami still didn't lose his own smile either because he wanted her to let it go without a delay. Experience told him this was usually the quickest way. She wrote her name and number to a napkin, so she'd even carried a pen in her pocket. She was well prepared. She left but not without a final touch on his bicep and expected Kagami to watch her walk away but the redhead did no such thing. He sighed and noticed the bluette looking at him with both of his thin eyebrows raised. Kagami crumbled the napkin in his fist and threw it to the trash ban inside the corner of the bar, a precise hit.

Aomine's eyebrows reached his hairline, "Wow."

"What?"

"Nice basket…" The bluette seemed he would mention about it more but he was distracted by something else, "What's this?" Kagami's eyes followed his line of sight and reached his forearm, the black ink of his tattoo was slightly visible.

"This is what people call tattoo, Aomine," He teased, pointing out the bluette's ignorance.

"I know that!" But still Aomine was trying to push Kagami's sleeve further up, "How big is it?"

"Stop-! Stop that, dude! It goes up to my shoulder!" Kagami batted the bluette's hands away though he was actually amused by Aomine's childish curiosity.

"What the hell is this, it doesn't look like anything. Kinda reminds a gang tattoo or something… You got tricked, didn't ya, haha idiot!"

"It's called a tribal tattoo, retard! And I was in a gang-"

"Whoa, wait, wait, you were in a _gang_? The goody two-shoes?" Aomine was explicitly bewildered and Kagami dig the widening of his eyes; he smirked, lifting one corner of his lips.

"Yep. Told you I wasn't that much of a fine man."

Aomine got serious and Kagami remembered he was a police officer, "Look, I said I _was_ in a gang. It was a small scale, stupid group of kids, nothing more. Again, I told you I was going through stuff but now I'm over it, alright?"

"Hmm," Aomine nodded but still considering the redhead's words. Kagami was worried for a second that the bluette might return to the topic of his past girlfriend. However, Aomine's face relaxed then he declared, "That chick was weird."

"She's bold, gotta give her that."

"You did right rejecting her," Aomine spoke as he signaled the bartender for more whiskey, "She'd ask weird stuff in bed, too! That's not so bad but you couldn't handle her."

"There's _no_ _women_ I can't handle, dork," Kagami repeated Aomine's earlier words.

They got their shots and drank in sync. Aomine looked blissed while Kagami loudly announced, "Gah! Still so bitter."

"Hah! Still a sissy."

* * *

A young couple entered Shiro Tora, holding hands, happy and hoping for a good meal to spend a good time after work. They walked to the register together, "Good night, we don't have a reservation but I hope there is a table available for us that can be arranged?" the male said.

"I sincerely apologize, young sir. We are out of commission right now. Our head chef has gotten sick and our assistant chef is off duty tonight."

The young couple was crestfallen; the employee continued, "May I recommend you another good restaurant just right around the corner? I assure you a fine dining. Please accept our apologies and prefer Shiro Tora again. You will always have a special reservation here," The employee politely bowed. The male also inclined his head, "Thank you very much. We wish your chef good health." The couple went away just as happy as they had come. The employee watched them to depart, his expression blank, before he locked the entrance of the restaurant and turned the sign 'closed'.

He wandered inside the restaurant as he arrived at the storage where the negotiations were happening.

"This is not the number we agreed!" A man who had a long scar across his face yelled at the Shiro Tora's owner.

The owner didn't even twitch a muscle; he cut the head of his cigar anf spoke after the cigar was ignited, his voice deep and offering no guarantee for safety, "I am the one who is in real danger here as I'm making _your_ distribution to _your_ customers. Give the money or leave and find another distributor."

"You own the fucking police! What fucking danger?!"

The owner narrowed his eyes, making the man cower in fear with just a gaze, "Talk to your boss first. If he doesn't accept, good luck with finding another distributor," The owner dismissed the other group's men as he said his final words.

"Shit!" The men left with their goods, cursing but hurrying to go away. The owner glanced at his own men, the employees of his restaurant were present, all except one.

"Sato."

"Yes, boss?" The head chef steeled himself before approaching the owner and bowed his head.

"Where's the new guy?"

"I told him to take tonight off. He's friends with a cop." Sato kept the bow as the short silence was messing with his nerves. The owner was a dangerous man.

"Sato, you know better than to decide on your own."

Sato bowed deeper, fear creeping up to his bones, "Yes, boss. I apologize but his friend is Officer Aomine Daiki. I thought it would be better not to include him considering Aomine Daiki's past with your group." The owner was quiet for longer; the old chef was afraid for himself, his family and for Taiga.

"Interesting," The owner finally spoke. "You can raise your head, Sato. I'm not an unreasonable man. You decided correct, let's not include him yet. And it's _our_ group."

"Yes, boss," The old chef was relieved when he saw the owner walking away. But the owner stopped suddenly and spoke over his shoulder, "Sato. What was the new guy's name?"

"…Kagami Taiga."

The owner proceeded walking while he murmured, "Kagami Taiga, fufu…" The old chef couldn't describe the owner's laugh other than sinister as the sound of it gave him shivers.

A very dangerous man, indeed.


	6. Chapter 5

He walked between the antiseptic and melancholy smelling aisles. As he found the room he'd been looking for, he gently click opened the door and stepped into the confined space enclosed by pure white walls.

A regular size hospital bed near the window and a chair in the space of both were the immediately noticeable properties of the private room. There was also another door opening to a bathroom but nothing else to make the place constantly belonging to someone.

Susa's partner, Suzuki, was occupying the chair, and lying in the bed was the thug he had shot. Suzuki looked up upon his entrance.

"Yo, Aomine. What are you doing here?"

The bluette pointed the criminal in the bed.

"I came to talk to him."

"Oh. Good timing. Then I'll go wash my face and have some coffee." Suzuki rubbed his tired eyes with the heel of his hands before standing up. "I leave him to you."

"Yeah."

Aomine sat on the vacated seat when Suzuki left the room. The man in the bed hadn't looked at him since he'd entered, his blank eyes fixed on the ceiling, seemingly inspecting the turned off naked bulb.

"I heard you confessed."

The criminal didn't reply as he expected. Aomine examined the injured man. He hadn't been sure of the thugs' ages because of the hood and scarf covering their faces. Now that they were taken off, the thug looked so young, as young as a high schooler. He was just a boy. Aomine continued after a short pause.

"That was a smart move. You made the right choice. It'll be taken into consideration and your sentence will lessen accordingly."

The kid turned his head with a quick motion to glare at him; his eyes were sparkling with fury, hatred and something Aomine found familiar.

"I didn't do it for-! I don't-!" He took a breath between his clenched teeth to collect his thoughts. "'Course I ain't gonna deny. I don't regret what I did. If I had the chance, I'd do it again. You fucking coppers should all die."

Aomine stared into the boy's eyes, his expression stern but understanding. Aomine continued talking slowly.

"I looked into your file."

The young criminal's mouth twitched.

"Stealing cars, pickpocketing, mugging, occasionally breaking into properties but nothing major as murder."

Young thug returned watching the ceiling, a stubborn crease descended between his eyebrows.

"This September, you mixed up in a crime-" Aomine saw the widening of his eyes, "-your big brother committed-"

"Shut up," young man whispered.

"-It began as a small incident but turned to be a big mess. Your brother-"

"Shut up!"

"-messed with a couple of drunk cops and got killed by them immediately in the scene-"

"Shut your fucking trap!"

"-even though he was unarmed and didn't pose a threat for the officers. He was killed because of the pride of those cops. But it could've been a huge damage to the reputation of the crime enforcement if the incident leaked out to the media. It got covered up and those cops walked away without being punished."

The youth was bewildered, staring at Aomine with a gaping mouth and red eyes.

"How... how can you know-?"

"It's a confidential case and it was hard to find the details but I filled in the blanks."

"I thought you were just a cop."

"I was a detective, now I'm 'just a cop'."

The boy gulped and closed his eyes for a moment before deleting the emotions from his face and looked at him indifferently.

"So? Who cares if you know? What are you trying to say?"

"Hmm," Aomine didn't know as well. What was he doing there? He was aware of the rotten parts of the organization he worked for. He guessed he wanted this boy to know he understood and didn't blame. Though he didn't agree with the methods he'd used. "I think... I'm saying you're dealing with it the wrong way."

He glared at Aomine with a mocking grin, "Pff, sure you think that. You _are_ just another cop in the end." The grin dropped as the fierce lines carved with sorrow enriched his face. "How can you even get!? My _aniki_ was the only one I'd known; he was my family! You goddamn cops have it all good, don't ya? When my _aniki_ was killed no one even cared about me! Or what I said-!" He stared at the officer with disgruntling cold eyes, meaning every word he said next. "There ain't any justice, so I look for my own. You better finish the job you started right now or I'm gonna kill you and every one of your kind."

Aomine raised an eyebrow and snorted; he mockingly laughed, seeing the brat's serious face. He knew he was making the young thug flip with anger. "What the hell? So you kill me and a few more cops then what? You'll be spending the rest of your life in jail. You think you scare anyone? Who gives a shit about an addicted orphan brat from the suburbs?"

"Fuck you-!" The young thug tried to get up and jump on him but Aomine was faster as he pushed the kid to the mattress from his shoulders. The boy screamed in pain because of the abuse his injured shoulder having. He struggled but the bluette was much stronger.

Aomine neared his face to the kid's as he spoke with a low tone to his ear. "Feel this pain? You can't even handle being shot. You're just a dumb helpless boy who couldn't protect his brother. What do you think you can do?"

The kid stopped struggling and closed his eyes as the tears began leaking out in a silent cry. Aomine let go of him and straightened. He stared down at the boy's distorted face in misery.

"You can't do anything. No one takes you seriously. You know why? You're uneducated and have no clue how the world works. Do you see yourself as an honorable avenger who's out seeking revenge for your family? Even if you join yakuza to take revenge, you won't be doing what you want. You're pathetic as you are now. And you won't be any different than those fucking cops who killed your brother if you don't change tactics."

The young thug glared at him, trembling with hatred but Aomine didn't budge an inch. "Nakano, right? You're right about one thing. If you want justice, you gotta snatch it. Wanna honor your brother? Come see me when you get out. If you still think like you do now, then I'll give you a shot to kill me. But I'll be sure that'll also be your end. If you do change your mind... Well, we'll talk about it when the time comes."

* * *

"Senpai!" Aomine woke up from his thoughts with a start as he found himself already arrived at his destination. While going to the station from a scene near this area, he'd gone over his memories about the hospital visit more than a week ago. Nakano was going to be discharged soon but- "Aomine-senpai!"

"What!?" His newbie partner, Imai would chirp his name the moment Aomine would step inside the station. The bluette never understood why the newbie was always so damn excited to see him. Imai respected Aomine, as it should be, but the bluette admitted he didn't return the same treatment.

Imai was running towards him until he was standing in front of the bluette; breathless, he wheezed out, "Senpai, you have visitors. Wakamatsu-san and Imayoshi-san are here to see you."

"Dai-chan!"

"Yo, Aomine."

Satsuki and Imayoshi had appeared behind Imai. Aomine swore heavily under his breath, "What are you doing here?" Imai stepped aside; he was startled being so near to the bespectacled douchebag. He had good cop instincts at least, Aomine reckoned.

Satsuki answered his grunted out question, "I was coming to see you and I met with Imayoshi-san on my way. He said he would like to see you, too."

"Yah, I constantly wonder how my good old patient is doing since you yet to show up to our sessions."

Aomine regarded none of them as he wandered inside the station toward his desk. He didn't forget what the psychopath psychologist and Susa had done in his apartment, literally on his back!

He was lucky that the chief had let him keep his desk after his rank had been lowered; he sat behind it but of course, Satsuki and Imayoshi had followed him.

"You're so rude, Dai-chan!" As the pinkette began scolding him, Imayoshi promptly soothed her by placing his hand on her shoulder; he was still wearing the same damn dirty smirk since high school.

"It's okay, Momoi," Imayoshi hadn't stopped calling Satsuki with her old last name; Aomine didn't know why the psychologist did this or cared, he was just pleased hearing it, "It's kinda my fault."

" _Kinda_!? It's your damn fault!" Finally, the bluette exploded.

"Hahaha, c'mon Aomine, water under the bridge."

Aomine sprang to his feet, furious, "You fuck-"

"Imayoshi!" Susa cut off the bluette's round of cursing unknowingly as he drew near to them, "I heard you were here from the guys."

"Ah, Susa. I came to see Aomine but I'm fortunate you're here, either. As always you look delicious in your uniform," Imayoshi leered.

Aomine gagged, abhorred while Satsuki chuckled, amused and Susa was embarrassed, "Stop with your jokes, Imayoshi, remember where we are!"

"Don't worry, guys here like us too much to gossip."

Susa felt a sweat drop running down, "No, more like everyone's scared of you too much to say anything."

"Haha! Same thing."

"Still, don't just-"

"Enough!" Aomine couldn't take their stupid chattering anymore, "If you don't have any business, leave already!"

"But Dai-chan, I have another reason for being here!" Aomine impatiently waited for her to carry on. "Kousuke and I want to invite you guys to our house for dinner this Friday," The pinkette gleefully expected everyone to quickly accept but the trio just stared at her.

"I'm not cooking."

"Oh, I think I'm off Friday night."

"Yah, we'll come."

"I might make it too."

"...You guys are awful."

Imayoshi laughed it off while Susa had the gracious to look slightly ashamed even though he didn't feel it from the heart.

"You can't blame me for not wanting to be poisoned, Satsuki."

The pinkette glared at her childhood friend then her eyes glinted suddenly. Aomine knew that twinkle; he hated that twinkle. He dreaded to say it daunted him.

"This reminds me. Dai-chan, you should invite Kagami-kun also."

"Who is 'Kagami-kun'?" wondered Imayoshi.

Aomine cursed.

"Dai-chan has a new friend, Imayoshi-san," Satsuki's sweet curve of her lips was vicious in Aomine's view. "He works at this restaurant, Shiro Tora."

"Shiro Tora, eh?" Imayoshi's smirk was nastier than the pinkette's. "Yah, Aomine, invite him. Let's meet with this Kagami-kun."

Aomine refused straight away, "I won't."

"Why not!?"

"He'll be busy Friday night, won't he, Satsuki?"

"It won't hurt to ask, Dai-chan, and if you don't tell him, I will."

Aomine heaved a sigh; there was no escape, "Fine, I'll mention it to him some time. Now, go!"

"Great! See you Friday, Dai-chan."

"See ya," Satsuki and Imayoshi walked away as Susa went with them to see the duo off. Aomine sank in his chair with a huff and finally noticed Imai standing near, looking close to gaping. Aomine threw him a questioning look, wasting the last drops of his patience.

Imai became aware of his rude stare, "Sorry, senpai. I was surprised seeing senpai like that..."

"Like _what_?"

"U-um, senpai was... comfortable? Your friends care about you."

Aomine snorted from the back of his throat, "They're making me the target of their butt jokes. Is that caring?" The bluette was being openly sarcastic but Imai smiled it away.

"Yes. You have good friends, senpai. I envy..." Aomine raised an eyebrow, waiting for his newbie partner to continue but Imai came to his senses quickly. "Ah! Sorry for saying something strange, senpai! I'll go check if there's anything for us," He left with his usual crap of chirpiness.

Aomine grumpily fished out his phone from his pocket, searching for the redhead's name in the contact list. He knew why Satsuki had demanded him to come Friday. She didn't want Aomine to be alone. The bluette would have refused as he, in contrast, desired to be alone; however, this year it might be better to be with familiar people instead of drinking the night away in hopes for a solid passing out. Moreover, it could be even better having Kagami there since the others may not try to talk to Aomine about _that_ due to the redhead's existence.

Though Kagami Taiga was an enigma. Aomine had thought in the beginning that the chef was just a normal guy with a couple of bad experiences in his past. But since he'd drunk with him couple of days ago, Aomine had to reconsider the 'bad experiences' and 'normal'. The redhead was like a puzzle; simple at first glance, but proving to be more complex than it seemed and hard to solve when the person set to combine the pieces. After talking with him, Aomine had found himself becoming confused rapidly. He probably never should have tried to solve that puzzle.

Even though Kagami had kept saying he was over his past, he might not actually be. Kagami was a good drinking buddy but the last thing Aomine needed was finding himself dealing with some other guy's problems who, by the way, he'd just come to know.

Aomine dropped his phone on his desk, deciding not to ask the redhead for the dinner.

Kagami seemed more messed up than Aomine suspected although his friendship with the chef was just what the bluette wanted right now. He wasn't thinking about _her_ when he was with Kagami. It was relaxing being with him, took his mind off of the tormenting thoughts.

Aomine picked his phone again, changing his mind; he dialed the chef's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Yeah?" The redhead's vibrant voice came through the line, though he sounded distracted as Aomine heard the clatters of the dishes.

"Yo, Kagami. It's me, Aomine."

"Hey, what's up?"

"You busy?"

"No, no," The clatters subsided. The bluette imagined the chef moved to a less crowded and silent place. "What's wrong?"

Aomine got to the point quickly, "Satsuki invites you to dinner at her house together with some friends and me, obviously."

"Satsuki?"

"You know her as Wakamatsu. Remember I was with a long haired woman in your restaurant?"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember. There's also the wedding, idiot," Kagami's chuckle resounded through the phone. "You call her Satsuki? I guess she's your type but isn't she still married?"

Aomine chocked on his breath, "She's like my sister, dickhead!"

The redhead laughed louder at the bluette's reaction, "If you say so." Aomine knew he was doing it on purpose but the officer couldn't help the disgust churning his insides by the mention anyway.

"You're one sick fuck, know that?"

Melodic laughs didn't cease as it made Aomine swore colorful string of curses at the redhead which apparently amused Kagami even more.

"I'm hanging up, you cunt."

Kagami finally calmed down enough to speak though he still sounded overjoyed, "Okay, okay. Don't be angry. When's the dinner?"

"..."

"Dude, don't act like a 6 year old."

"Shut up! _You're_ being a brat!"

"Yes. I am the 6 year old. Now when does she expect us?" Kagami admitted but Aomine thought he was more like coaxing a pouting kid instead of accepting his fault.

Aomine caved in eventually though, grudgingly, grunting, "This Friday. I don't know the time, probably at 7 or something." The officer now sort of wished that the redhead would decline, that he'd be so freaking busy there would be no chance for him to make it.

"Friday? Cool, I'm off." Of course he was. When something Aomine wanted happened anyway? "That's all? You could've just texted me, Aomine."

"I don't do texting."

"Right... My bad for forgetting you were a _70_ year old geezer. But can you text me the address or should I find a pen?"

"Go fuck yourself."

Aomine hung up on the cracking up Kagami. Screw the mysterious puzzle, the redhead was plain a dick.

The bluette clicked his tongue as he curtly looked from his shoulder to see Imai, again, standing near, flashing a small smile. Aomine growled throatily. Imai flinched and cowered in fear. However, he didn't walk off as Aomine hoped; instead, he approach the bluette albeit carefully, scared that the bluette might bite. Aomine smirked inwardly, satisfied to make at least sane people afraid of him.

"W-we need to head out, senpai. Another robbery."

Aomine swiftly stood up as he grabbed the keys. Taking long strides, he was already leaving the station.

"Where?"


	7. Chapter 6

The only thing he could hear was the thumping of his heart as if the organ was pumping blood in his ears. The excessive oxygen he was inhaling through his nose and mouth was not enough for his greedy lungs. His legs, every muscle in his body for that matter, were in a protest of the burning pain. Aomine could only think and see the next step he'd run. He couldn't be blamed for not noticing the wall of a muscled back before him as he ran into it.

"Woah, you okay?" Kagami quickly turned around; the redhead didn't move an inch when Aomine crashed into him while the officer bounced. To his triumph, he didn't fall and gained his balance just as fast.

"Why did you stop so suddenly, asshole?" Aomine rebuffed as harshly as he could despite his heavily labored breathing. The bluette was yet to attain his old stamina back but slowly he was getting it. Kagami on the other hand was always a step ahead of him no matter how much Aomine tried to run past or run beside him. However, the redhead never commented on this, encouraging or discouraging, as Aomine wouldn't have both.

Kagami, supporting a small smile, looked somewhere distant and quietly said, "Look."

Aomine didn't avert his eyes right off as he inspected the redhead's humble curve of his lips and sparkling crimson eyes, sweat rolling down on his cheek, from his profile. Then Aomine looked.

It was a sight to behold.

They had stopped at the open area of the mini forest of the park. Small flock of doves was mutely flying over the lake in perfect harmony. The calm surface of the lake was designed with water lilies as the spaces between yellow-green oval leaves reflected the white and blue sky as if the sky was looking at a mirror. At the far shore of the lake, there was a horde of fluffy ducks, sleepily rousing to the new day. Kagami took a couple of short strides, not walking too far into the view. Aomine still could see his smile and he couldn't help thinking it was a picture deserved to be painted.

No matter how expensive, no camera could do justice to this silent precursor of winter leaving its place to spring.

It was _the_ 'picture perfect'.

* * *

Kagami didn't cease his speed until he was seated on a bench. Few mere seconds later Aomine caught up and sat on the bench beside the redhead's. Kagami was impressed with the bluette's condition. The officer didn't appear to be pleased with his progress but he was being impatient. In less than a month, Aomine had begun easily keeping up with him and nowadays, he was only a step behind Kagami. The chef had to go all out for not being past.

Aomine looked worn out but he was trying not to show it. Kagami found his attempts to hide how exhausted Aomine actually was charming. He had these childish pride and competitiveness that made Kagami classify the bluette as somewhat cute. But because the redhead too had those traits, he didn't say anything.

In fact, he probably shouldn't have thought Aomine was cute and charming. How bizarre and sickening… and dangerous.

The officer was a _friend_ ; moreover, saying the bluette wasn't interested wouldn't even come close.

Kagami glanced at Aomine out of the corner of his eye but couldn't tear his gaze away as he planned.

Aomine had clearly decided to lie on the bench; legs spread on his temporary wooden bed, one arm casually resting on his steadily rising and falling chest as the other one was dangling from the edge, fingers brushing the soil.

Long limbs, muscles of a lean built, complexion looking so tasty that- Kagami loudly gulped. He peered at the indigo hair to halt his eyes and thoughts going astray; however, a sudden desire to bury his hands in the silky strands rushed through him, an abrupt ache to slowly run his hands through. Gleaming beads of sweat on the smooth skin was making his tongue tingle, craving to lick and collect every single bead off of his sharp jaw, pulsing neck, heaving chest and then-

" **Shit…!** "

Through sheer effort, Kagami managed to divert his stare. He'd succeeded to suppress his attraction towards Aomine for so long but getting to know him, each day it was becoming harder feat, and his traitorous imagination at the moment was explicitly vivid, flashing the images of the bluette trashing in need; it was tormenting Kagami. It must have been because he hadn't done anything for a while that his body was having revenge, cooperating with his mind against the redhead. He fucking had to go out as soon as possible, preferably that night, to shut up his brain.

He heaved a long, loud sigh and realized Aomine was watching him, craning that damn delicious looking neck to get a better view of the redhead, "What's up?"

Kagami swiftly, almost professionally masked his leaking out desire with half of a grin, "Nothing. Just thinking. About work."

Aomine hummed, accepting his reply, and reverted to his comfortable position. Kagami released the breath he'd held for a sustained second. He couldn't help his thoughts drifting back to the topic of his attraction. It could have been much better if Aomine was like him, if the bluette wasn't so hurt from his sealed past, closed to all kind of human contact.

The redhead finally managed to stop his mind going over how much it could have been better. It didn't seem like a battle Kagami could win.

* * *

Aomine was late.

He was late and he dreaded Satsuki's and psychopath's gab before he'd ring the bell of Wakamatsu household.

"Yo, Aomine!"

The officer's finger halted, not pressing the bell, as he looked up to see Kagami running towards him.

"Haa, I'm glad you're late too. If I was the last one to arrive, it woulda been so rude."

"Now, we're both the last, idiot."

"Yeah but it is better we're together, no?"

Aomine shook his head in exasperation; the idiot had no idea _what_ Imayoshi was and didn't know about his snide remarks. It was worse that they had come together. Now the douchebag psychologist wouldn't shut up about it whole night.

Satsuki was quick to answer the door and the first thing she did was to scowl at Aomine, "Dai-chan, you are late," though her expression rapidly changed when she spotted the redhead behind him, "Kagami-kun! Welcome."

Kagami respectfully gave his greeting as both of the males entered the spacious apartment complex. Aomine was a little bit surprised by the chef's manners until he recalled the redhead had been like this at the beginning. The bluette hadn't noticed until then that Kagami, too, was being relaxed when he was with Aomine.

"I'm sorry for being late, Wakamatsu-san. Something came up at work."

"It's alright, don't worry about it," Satsuki had a pleasant smile then she looked apologetically at Aomine, "So you waited for Kagami-kun. Sorry for scolding you, Dai-chan."

"Yeah, don't be so quick to jumping conclusions, Satsuki. It's not cute at all."

Her smile didn't disappear though there was no sight of the pleasant as a vein visibly popped on her forehead, "I already said sorry, Aomine- _kun_."

There it was; the giant flag for the bluette to drop the matter.

Satsuki led her guests to the dining room. Aomine saw Kagami giving him an amused albeit inquiring look. Aomine returned it with a threatening narrow of his eyes that he'd be better off not pointing out the lie.

"Kagami-kun, let me introduce you," Satsuki pulled Kagami and every pair of eyes turned on the redhead. Aomine, seeing and taking the opportunity of spotlight focusing on the chef, sneakily sat one of the few empty chairs around the dining table.

The officer watched Kagami to bow respectfully to everyone; Susa inclined his head as Wakamatsu grinned at the redhead, meanwhile Imayoshi smirked. Aomine knew for a fact Kagami would be the psychologist's sole target that night; the bluette was probably off the hook for once. He should have known that he was never that lucky when it came to his friends from high school.

"So Kagami, did you have any problems finding here?" Wakamatsu asked to show off his wife that he had manners; he was only rude to Aomine.

"Ugh-"

"He came with Dai-chan, Kousuke," Satsuki interfered to help as she was moving to sit next to her husband.

"Yeah…" Kagami sweat dropped while Aomine cursed inwardly, ' _Shit.'_

"That so?" Imayoshi's smirk turned its nasty beams to Aomine, "What a good friend you are, Aomine."

"How nice of you," Susa agreed to his partner.

"How weird of this bastard is more like it," Wakamatsu retorted his opinion.

"Kousuke! Don't be rude to Dai-chan!"

"Shut the fuck up, assholes," was Aomine's nonchalant reply as he began eating unceremoniously.

"Dai-chan, you don't be rude too! And don't eat! We're waiting for one more person!" As if on a cue of her words, the door rang and Satsuki got up to answer it.

Aomine grunted but stopped eating; he didn't know who else was coming. He saw Kagami still standing with a weird look on his face then he carefully approached to table and sat beside the bluette. Only then Aomine noticed there was one empty chair left at the other side of him.

The bluette opened his mouth to inquire about who arrived but he heard the repeated apologies coming from the hallway. The voice became gradually clearer as Satsuki and Sakurai entered the room. Sakurai was still bowing and apologizing for being late.

"Hey," Kagami whispered to Aomine, "Is this how I should have done?"

Susa answered instead of Aomine, apparently heard the redhead's question, "No, no. Sakurai, he… is a bit extreme."

Sakurai sat after Satsuki and Wakamatsu finally convinced him that he'd apologized enough. Wakamatsu wife introduced Sakurai and Kagami to each other quickly before announcing that they could begin eating.

"Finally," Aomine immediately shoved bites in his mouth; he was starving and didn't have any patience left to wait. Kagami beside him was chewing calmly but he was digging in slow and deep. Susa, Satsuki and Sakurai were trying to have an easygoing conversation with everyone but except these three, the others were purely focusing on the food in front of them; their answers were curt and simple.

Aomine listened to the conversation but didn't hear the words. He was quite annoyed when the conversation was directed at him.

"Aomine-kun, I heard you are a detective," having good intentions, Sakurai looked at the bluette with an expression saying that he thought being a detective was cool.

The bluette spared nothing more than a glance, "I'm not a detective anymore. I'm an officer now," nonchalant, he continued to have mouthful of bites.

Although Aomine was really disinterested about it, Sakurai was still terrified, thinking he'd made a massive goof; horrified, he started the sequence of apologies.

"It's fine," Aomine quieted Sakurai immediately after, but got Kagami curious.

"You were a detective?"

He heaved a sigh. Aomine at least acknowledged redhead's bravery to ask despite the bluette's grumpy behavior, "Yeah. Got demoted because of anger issues and some violence."

"Huh…"

Just like that, both of the males kept eating. They realized not too soon the silence hanging on the table and nearly gaping faces.

Aomine knew better than to respond in any form but Kagami was not acquainted enough yet, "What is it?" He self-consciously grabbed a napkin, "Ugh, is there something on my face?"

"Yeah, there," The bluette pointed the edge of Kagami's chin. The redhead hastily wiped the indicated place, "Gone?"

"Yep."

"…So when have you guys decided?" Imayoshi abruptly inquired; his dirty grin alarmingly wide.

"Don't ask," Aomine muttered under his breath to Kagami but it was too late.

"To what?"

"To go out."

Kagami accomplished an impossible feat between sputtering food from his nose and choking. Aomine dropped his chopsticks; even though he expected an outrageous reply, yet it hadn't reduced the effect.

"The hell, Imayoshi!?" The bluette growled, temper rising to a dangerous level.

The bespectacled douche only laughed. Susa was trying to help Kagami to breathe again. Wakamatsu was snickering while Satsuki was torn in between to giggle and aid the state for the sake of the redhead. Sakurai seemed he didn't know how to react.

"There's definitely something suspicious going on between you two," Wakamatsu saw his chance to irritate the bluette and took it.

"Didn't I tell you to shut the fuck up? Your voice is annoying."

"You fucking stuff it, you little cunt-!"

"Kousuke! Dai-chan! Enough!" Enraged, Satsuki silenced their bickering though Wakamatsu and Aomine kept throwing death glares at each other.

"Hahaha, no one's able to say anything to Momoi, eh?"

"Oi, Imayoshi! Stop with Momoi, Momoi already! She's my wife!"

"Didn't think you prefer me to call her Satsuki, Wakamatsu. How open minded."

" _Call her Wakamatsu-san!_ "

"Kousuke, don't yell at our guests! And Imayoshi-san, please stop riling the situation."

Imayoshi made a surrendering gesture and Wakamatsu pouted, upset for being scolded by his beloved wife twice. Satsuki huffed while Susa merely sighed, already used to his partner's antics especially when it came to Aomine and Wakamatsu.

The rest of the dinner carried on with dining clatters and simple chat, Wakamatsu occasionally throwing his wife shy glances, Satsuki ignored them as she was yet to forgive her easily tempered husband, until the guests' hunger was satisfied. Sakurai and Kagami, being the goody-two shoes they were, went to help Satsuki clean the dishes. Wakamatsu rushed to help either to get back on the good side of his wife. Imayoshi, Susa and Aomine, left with nothing better to do, moved to settle on the comfortable couches. However, Kagami and Sakurai returned to the room rather soon, the brunette of the two strangely blushing. Aomine glanced behind them from his position that had a good view of the kitchen and saw Wakamatsu wrapping his arms around Satsuki's waist, putting fleeting kisses all over to his relenting wife's face.

Aomine rolled his eyes and stood up to get some booze. He opened the cabinet he knew Wakamatsu stashed the good stuff and helped himself to a glass of whiskey. He looked back, "Want some, anyone?"

The males in the room shook their head. Aomine shrugged as he grabbed the bottle and went back to perch on his one-person couch. Kagami was frowning at him from his across seat. The bluette guessed his thoughts were 'childhood friends or not, the officer was being rude'. The redhead was probably correct. Too bad Aomine didn't give a shit.

The newlyweds eventually came back with desserts and tea. The husband had a triumphant grin and the pinkette was contently happy. However, her brows slightly creased seeing Aomine with a bottle dangling in his hand from the arm of the couch but she didn't comment on it.

' _Here it is, the holding back, the pity,_ fucking _fake understanding,_ ' Aomine swallowed the content of his glass in one gulp.

The pleasant atmosphere was a bit strained as the others ate their desserts and tried to spare no regard to the bluette. They all had gotten somewhat used to his antics; all but Kagami, who watched him with concern.

The redhead eventually voiced his worry, "Aomine, aren't you drinking too much?"

"Pfft, define too much."

"A bottle."

Kagami looked so serious and so stupid with that knit of his dumbass eyebrows. Aomine snickered, more amused than he should be. He expected everyone to laugh together with him but no one did. ' _Whatever,_ ' He lifted the bottle and saw it was almost empty. A bottle of whiskey wasn't even enough to make him nearly tipsy, so he finished it and got up to have another one. He wobbled slightly when he was on his feet and the few steps to the cabinet suddenly seemed too long but he managed to walk there and back. Odd enough, he was a little tipsy, maybe more than a little.

The sound of the small talk was low as if not to disturb the sick person in the room. Aomine was deaf to their chatting in any case. He was enjoying himself with the golden liquor. He wasn't even aware that he'd already gulped down over half of the second bottle.

The room had been spinning for a while now and it was so hot inside. He had these bizarre urges to laugh and tear up at the same time. Though more than anything he just wanted to scream, a feral scream, and pummel someone down, didn't matter whom.

But he was so sleepy.

Maybe he should take the chance because sleep didn't just come to him. It was like a coy girl; she'd allow him to feel her up but didn't let him go all the way.

Aomine suddenly began giggling. He couldn't put a stop to it; the urge was too strong although even he could perceive there was nothing funny. His eyes met with Kagami's and Aomine for some reason giggled harder.

He wasn't aware of Wakamatsu had taken his bottle of golden good and glass from his poor grasp. But when he realized he was directing an empty hand to his mouth, he wasn't happy about it, "Hey~!" His reaction was slurred out and not heeded. His friends stood up all at once, doing and saying stuff Aomine didn't care. He felt like he was surrounded by foreign giants, except the crimson one was still sitting and watching him intensely.

Aomine laughed again, tasteless and humorless, the sound he made was dry to his ears. He leaned back on the couch; the vibration of his sapless laugh conducted through his body as he closed his eyes and pushed back his slightly long bangs from his forehead. His eyeballs were stinging behind their lids. He vaguely listened to the low voices coming from somewhere near to his left but couldn't distinguish the owners from the fragments of the conversation he heard.

"…-don't know what he'll do-…"

"-can't leave him alone…"

"…-should stay here with us?"

' _Heck no!_ ' Aomine was yet to regain the hold of his motor reflexes, so he was unable to specify his decisive refusal. He hoped someone, anyone, would read his thoughts which had written down in his mind that he really just wanted to go home with big capital letters.

"He won't like it-…"

"…- would be a pain in the ass in the morning-…"

"…-but can he make it? Who should-…"

"I can take him home."


	8. Chapter 7

"Aomine, your keys."

The bluette's gaze was vacant as he glared at something without seeing. He didn't give any signs that he heard the request.

"Geez," Kagami muttered curses as he set to search Aomine's pockets. The bluette didn't look so drunk that he was out of it but his perception of outside world was cut off or he was simply ignoring everything not going on in his head. Aomine was standing on his own feet, albeit hunched and looking despaired.

Kagami couldn't make sense of the bluette's complete change of mood. He'd been normal yesterday, when they had gone out to run, and this night, until the end of the dinner. As if Aomine had suddenly exceeded some sort of limit that had made him resign himself to…something; something grim and somber.

Kagami's seeking hands came to a contact with the cold surface of the metal. Aomine then finally moved when the door was unlocked; he slowly pushed past the redhead as he walked in his flat with Kagami on his tail.

Kagami was seriously worried; Aomine was acting so strange. He didn't take his eyes off of Aomine for even one second. The officer was again reaching for an enticingly strong alcohol. After he had the bottle in his grasp, he exited to the balcony. Kagami hurried after him; as he stepped outside to the open night air and freezing wind blew, the redhead shivered.

Aomine had sunk to the floor in the corner with his back against to the short sidewall and one leg bent. He was drinking from the bottle; his face was every bit of the description of 'had given up' as the foreworn police officer swallowed his liquor.

Kagami slowly approached the officer and sat down, folding his legs under him. Aomine probably wanted him to leave him alone with his booze but the redhead wasn't going to do such thing, at least not when Aomine looked every bit of an abandoned drunk bum, and not before he made sure the bluette was going to be fine.

Aomine wasn't saying anything to him, not that he expected him to; however, he wasn't giving any indications for the redhead to go away either.

Kagami lit a cigarette as he got comfortable on the freezing floor. The sound of _snick_ attracted the officer's attention momentarily and he snatched the ignited cigarette from Kagami's mouth before the redhead could even thoroughly taste the tobacco.

Sighing quietly, Kagami lit another one. He didn't intend to leave but he didn't know what would be the better thing to do right then. So he only sat back and watched the cloudless sky. Behind the light blue smoke of the tobacco, the stars glimmered. He murmured to himself when he noticed a star falling, "Shooting star, huh… Looks like a tear…" Listening to his own nearly romantic simile, he felt slightly embarrassed and panicked a bit for breaking the silence set upon the apartment, that he had pissed Aomine off somehow. But Aomine was watching the star, his gaze was grave,

"I saw a star slide down the sky,  
Blinding the north as it went by,  
Too burning too quick to hold,  
Too lovely to be bought or sold,  
Good only to make wishes on  
And then forever to be gone."

Kagami curiously stared at the bluette, admitting he gaped too, "What the heck's this?"

Aomine didn't seem to hear; he kept mumbling to himself, "She loved that poem."

"…Who are you talking about?"

The bluette again didn't hear or he plainly ignored Kagami as he took large gulps from the bottle. The redhead gave up asking but he couldn't prevent the speculations whirring in his mind.

He had gathered bits of information from the mentions bluette's friends gave away. He knew Aomine was always a tightly closed box when this time of the year came around and the bluette was talking about someone on rare occasion as if that person was no longer alive.

It must be the death anniversary of the person Aomine had deeply cared- no, loved. But the redhead wasn't definite about the 'death' because he guessed the bluette and his friends would have been in more of a mourning mood. However, Kagami wasn't still completely accustomed to Japanese culture although his father had tried to instill him as much of his ancestors' knowledge as possible; there was parts of it caught Kagami off guard after he began living in Japan.

Hence, all Kagami was certain about that the person Aomine loved was gone and it was the anniversary of something strictly related to this person. It was enough to give Kagami an idea of which attitude to adopt, but that didn't mean anything he did or said would help.

He felt the fecklessness that he hadn't felt so strongly since the high school days when everything in his life had got messed up badly. Aomine's despair was affecting him worse than Kagami could have imagined. He'd been becoming more and more aware of the bluette; however, he hadn't known the extent of it as he'd been suppressing his straying urges with all his might.

Witnessing Aomine coming slowly apart, his chest clenched beside the slight tingling of his heart despite the situation. Kagami couldn't ignore nor refuse he felt something; something he was determined to never feel for anyone again. He had some feelings for the cold and grumpy officer.

The redhead honestly had no clue how the hell that happened.

But it wasn't the right time to dwell on it as he assigned aiding Aomine in some way as his primary priority. First, he took the bottle from Aomine; he, himself needed a drink. Then he exhaled loudly as he leaned back, gazing at the sky, "You know, Aomine…"

"What?" Kagami regained the bluette's attention somehow.

"I don't know if you'll understand now but…-" He paused to draw out a new cigarette; _snick-snick_ , _snick,_ the scarlet, charring circle moved through the tobacco, burning it and turning it to ashes, Kagami breathe out the smoke of it; he looked Aomine in the eye. His voice, his eyes, his gaze, even the way he held the cigarette was reflecting the experiences and emotions behind the words spoken next.

"You don't always lose loved ones to death. Sometimes you lose them to drugs, to someone else, and sometimes to themselves…

"Death is not always the worst that can happen. Sometimes… sometimes it's even the best."

Kagami halted, didn't know what more to say. Aomine responded, albeit bitterly scoffing, "The hell? That's fucking ridiculous! Dying is the worst! If they die, there's no turning back. They are gone. End of story."

Shaking his head, Kagami contradicted, "It's the beginning of new things."

"Well, what if I don't give a flying fuck to new things!?" He strained forward, flailing his arms, and spit spattering as Aomine finally snapped, "What if I never wanted them!? Why wasn't I asked first!? I was freaking happy with how things were!" Aomine hit the back of his head to the wall and closed his eyes; the furrow between his eyebrows, the creases in the corners of his mouth and deep melancholic lines on his face now visible to the eye seemed like wounds. He looked older, much older than his age, and pained, "I'm fed up with this. I'm so tired of it all… I just want to sleep…"

Kagami didn't respond; he couldn't respond. As Aomine's face gradually relaxed and he fell asleep, he could only watch.

He wished he had known the magical words that would made Aomine feel fine. But he was ignorant and helpless. He didn't have the certainty and courage to say anything or take any sort of action towards the conscious Aomine.

His heart ached in the face of Aomine's suffering. His own emotions were in anguish; they were telling him to caress and make everything better somehow.

Kagami was in a daze as he drew near to the bluette. He softly kissed the parted lips and it felt good; strangely, almost unknowingly good. He had forgotten how loud the sound of a heart beat could be.

He felt the brush of a breath and Kagami snapped out of whatever trance he was in.

' _Oh, fuck! What the fuck did I do for fuck's sake!?_ '

He freaked out imagining Aomine's reaction, thinking he screwed up. He waited for the bluette's response but Aomine just snored. He was still asleep. ' _Thank fucking God._ '

He let the relief calm his thumping heart. Then he half-carried half-dragged the officer inside to his bed. The bluette didn't wake up when he fell to the mattress.

The chef's every instinct screamed to desert the place, so he hurried to the door but his hand lingered on the doorknob, refusing to turn it, and Kagami looked back.

He had every desire and intention to get the hell out of there but Aomine… Would Aomine be alright when he woke up alone in this deafeningly quiet apartment?

His hand dropped from the handle to his side. After contemplating few moments, Kagami walked back, standing beside the bed and staring down at the sleeping face of the bluette.

He ruffled his hair in fury, heaving an exasperated sigh; he fell down to the floor, resting the back of his head on the edge of the mattress.

_'Shit, what the hell is wrong with me?'_

He sealed shut his eyes. He would find a way to terminate this stupid tingling in his chest.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem, The Falling Star, is by Sara Teasdale.


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes! LNC is back again with every two weeks updating! Hopefully…  
> By the way! The stuff about yakuza is half-true half-bullshit. Okay more like bullshit 80 percent ^_^"

He had been waiting for water in the kettle to boil when he heard Aomine trashing in his sleep. Again.

He walked to the slumberous officer's side with swift steady strides, kneeled beside the bed and whispered, "Shh, it's alright now. Everything is fine."

He softly patted the indigo hair and felt the sweaty strands once again. Aomine having strokes of a reoccurring nightmare had almost become a mere routine for Kagami in one long, never-ending night.

He couldn't imagine how Aomine felt if this was the usual drill for him. Now wonder he had a tart tongue.

However, Kagami was tired. He had sleep. So much that he was jealous of Aomine who was having a terribly intermittent slumber. Whatever Aomine's demons were, they were annoying the hell out of Kagami.

At last, the policeman relaxed under his palm. "It's all over," he whispered reassuringly. "Whatever the fuck that is," muttering to himself, he went back to the kitchen counter and poured himself a cup of instant coffee. Its taste was much lighter than what he needed at the moment; however, it was the only thing with a caffeine dose in the empty cupboards. It was better than having none. So he had to make do with what he'd found, even if inside of his mouth felt sandy.

He stepped out to the balcony with the mug in his hand and scorched a cigarette, taking prolix drags that gave him headache.

He had been jerked awake when Aomine had begun to have nightmares. Kagami had managed to calm him somehow, just like now, though it had not been enough as the officer's tormenting dreams had kept coming back, making it impossible for Kagami to get back to sleep. He'd only had two hours of sleep.

Since then he was having his hundredth coffee and umpteenth cigarette. He had long past the point of enjoying, to the aching throats and burning lungs.

The coffee was becoming cold quickly and tobacco was burning away too fast. No matter how much he drank or smoked, it didn't feel proportionate to make it to the morning.

It was a depressing night, bringing out his own demons inside though he had to admit it was mostly due to his newfound discovery. He had many regrets in the path he walked on. He'd made bad choices, terrible mistakes, rare good choices, and sometimes it'd been chosen for him. But he believed he'd commenced to repay them little by little. At least he wanted to believe that. Because there would be no way out if he did not believe it. He would have been stuck in the same place, would have been in a loop, just as Aomine seemed to be.

He hadn't had anyone to help him break the loop, and he didn't imagine he could help Aomine either. But maybe he could point a way out, some sort of exit from that accursed place. He didn't know exactly how but he would try his best. And meanwhile, he would rid of his seemingly infatuation.

But for now, he smoked late into the night.

* * *

He was coming to himself albeit still drunk on sleep. There was clattering coming from the kitchen and he suspected that was what had woken him. Aimi must be fixing breakfast again even though he'd told her so many times that he didn't like having breakfast-

' _What?_ '

His eyes snap opened as Aomine swiftly reached under his pillow to his revolver, quickly sitting up and pointing the gun toward the intruder. A tiny, miniscule part of him shamefully wished he had actually awoken to the past and see Aimi making him a breakfast he'd regretfully never enjoyed having. But he didn't.

Instead, he saw Kagami busying himself with eggs. Aomine lowered his revolver and put it back to its place before the redhead noticed. Instantly killing that shameful, disappointed hope, he checked the time: 6:27 a.m. It meant he had a full night's sleep, approximately 5 hours, and he did feel like he'd had his first decent sleep without the aid of medications since a long time. Moreover, he wasn't close to having his worst hangover either. If this wasn't a decent sleep, he didn't know what would be.

He got up from the bed and walked to Kagami's side.

"Hey."

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at what the cook was preparing and watched him twitch hearing Aomine's voice. Though he didn't break or drop any eggs; he must have honed his skills by then.

"Hey, 'morning."

"So you stayed over, huh?"

"Yeah, sorry I took the liberty but it was already way past the last train."

Aomine shrugged, indicating he didn't mind. He saw Kagami's bloodshot eyes and guessed it was only natural since there was nothing in his studio apartment that the redhead could sleep in, though the policeman didn't comment on it.

"What are you making?"

"Egg rolls," the cook returned to his business with the eggs. "Lots of egg rolls. It was the only edible, non-rotten thing in your… tiny fridge? Minibar? Anyway, besides the alcohol, of course. Oh, I also threw away the milk. Or should I say very smelly yogurt?"

Aomine snorted, "Okay. I'm gonna take a shower."

He got a nod as reply. It didn't go unnoticed to Aomine that the redheaded cook seemed to avoid making eye contact. He guessed it was due to the previous night. He had suddenly chug down couple of bottles of whiskey (delicious whiskey) and rambled about some bullshit. He remembered what had been said and talked over. Kagami had some nonsense philosophy about death but Aomine had read a poem, hadn't he?

He shed off his clothes and threw them in to the hamper piling a mountain. He took a quick shower. Not when he got in the shower nor when he got out, he had any intentions of reissuing the topics from last night. He stepped back inside the room naked, putting on his last clean boxer. While fastening his uniform's belt, he heard Kagami slowly approaching him then felt trailing fingers on his back.

"When did that happen?"

Aomine curtly pulled back and gruffly looked at the man behind him over his shoulder. He knew well the redhead meant the grotesque scar on his back. He disliked people touching him needlessly.

"In the line of duty."

Kagami looked like he got the message as he backed off. Huffing, Aomine dressed and went back to the kitchen area. Kagami was halfway done preparing breakfast; he listened to the cook talking without resentment in his voice.

"You are out of coffee by the way."

Aomine hummed while reaching to his pack of smokes.

"…and cigarettes."

"Great," throwing the empty pack away, he sat at the small, two-person table situated beside the only window in the room. Not long after, Kagami put half a dozen egg rolls in front of him and sat across.

"Aren't you eating?" asked Aomine.

"Nah, smoked too much."

"Guess we're not running today."

Kagami looked apologetic when he nodded, "I wanna drop by home before going to work."

Aomine didn't answer and a long silence engulfed the apartment, well except for Kagami drumming his fingers on the table.

"Stop that."

The cook made a surrendering gesture but he couldn't stay quiet for long.

"So, listen-"

"I'd rather not hear it," thinking the redhead was opening the topic of last night, Aomine cut him off.

"You're really not the best host, are you?"

"I don't remember inviting you in."

Kagami shook his head with a sarcastic snort, "And an ungrateful jerk, not that it's anything new, but fair enough."

Aomine just focused on swallowing the egg rolls, they were good, and soon was finished with his plate.

"I really want a smoke now."

"Actually, you have two more." Seeing Aomine's raised eyebrow, Kagami continued, "When I said you're out of cigarettes, I meant there aren't nearly enough for the day."

"Hm," Aomine opened the pack, taking one out as Kagami took the other. "Is it the same with the coffee?"

"No, coffee is completely gone."

They sat back in their chairs as they stared out the window.

"So how far do you live?" Aomine asked offhandedly.

"30 minutes by train," Kagami said, his attention on the policeman.

"Is it even still in Tokyo? Why would you commute half an hour every day just to run?"

"There's nowhere to run near my place and I like this park. Been my routine for like 3 years. You're lucky to live close."

"You are unexpectedly disciplined, aren't you?"

"Am I? Don't know, maybe," the cook shrugged.

"Do you play any sports?"

It was a question in Aomine's mind for some time though he'd forgotten to ask. Moreover, Kagami seemed to prefer not answering as the cook was trailing the below of his bottom lip with his thumb while holding the cigarette in between his index and middle fingers.

"…I played basketball until high school."

' _Did you now…_ ' Aomine thought, shifting in his seat invisibly.

"What about you?"

"Me too. Until college."

Aomine could have asked a bunch of questions about how good Kagami had been, the redhead's devotion, why he had quit the game but Aomine would be the target of those very same questions. Therefore, he kept quiet. Fortunately, basketball was an issue Kagami liked to avoid either.

"You know, I don't like eating in the mornings," He changed the conversation for a good measure, returning to watch the people hurrying on the street.

"Really? Then why did you now?"

Aomine shrugged without looking at the redhead before him, "You already cooked it."

He wasn't sure why he'd chosen that particular subject and he was glad Kagami didn't ask more. While they conserved the recuperated silence their cigarettes turned to ashes. It was the end of the morning as it was time to leave for their respective vocations.

* * *

After long seconds of ringing agitated the peacefully sleeping couple, the old man answered his phone.

"…Hai?"

"Hey, Sato-san, it's Taiga. Sorry to disturb you so early in the morning."

The chef sat up urgently. An irrepressible fear spread in his heart. Taiga wouldn't call at this ungodly hour if there wasn't anything wrong.

"What is it?"

"Well, um, it's really last minute but um-"

"Stop mumbling and speak up, boy!"

"Ugh, yes, sir! I'd like to take the day off today."

"…Why?"

"I-I have some urgent business I need to attend. Sorry, I know it is last minute."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, of course."

Sato listened carefully to the kid's voice, trying to detect any lies, any hidden panic or meaning behind the words he heard but Taiga sounded safe enough. The old chef relaxed.

Taiga was in his responsibility, trusted to him by the boy's father, his friend. However, in time, it had become more than responsibility; the boy had grown on him.

Taiga was part of his family and the old man had been afraid for his life since Taiga had started to work at Shiro Tora. Moreover, he was to blame for letting the boy work at the lion's den without being unaware of the danger.

"Sato-san? If it's gonna be too much trouble-"

"No, no, nothing troubling. I always say you don't take enough leaves. I presume you didn't speak to the manager."

"Yeah, he doesn't like me much."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

"Thanks, Sato-san."

Sato was in a state of unmixed relief. The boss was visiting tonight again due to the left unfinished negotiation from before. As unscheduled as that was, the timing Taiga asking for a day off couldn't be any more perfect.

* * *

Kagami unlocked his apartment's door unhurriedly. His posture unwound by finally being home. It'd been a good decision to notify Sato before Aomine had woken up. It might be a trivial thing to lie about; however, he had not wanted to show how tired he was or how much he needed alone time for sorting out his ridiculously tangled emotions.

After toeing off his shoes, he went straight to the bedroom. He took off his pants before collapsing to the mattress, boneless. Despite the lack of ability to move an arm, he suddenly didn't feel like sleeping. His mind was in a disarray, jumping from thoughts to thoughts and popping up images that were mostly he wanted to forget how to remember.

However, he admitted he'd probably carved Aomine's form in his memories voluntarily. The policeman had a more muscular built than Kagami had reckoned; it was indistinct under clothing. This didn't offer any help to his already wilding urges, and that scar Aomine was discreet about… Kagami could be exploring a new bizarre fetish of his besides the blue eyes. Not lighting random people's cigarettes, not ever that.

Though, Aomine shunning his slightest touch was discouraging. The officer wasn't interested in him in the least. Kagami was already aware of it. There was no need to rub it in although he didn't think Aomine had had that kind of intention. Moreover, from another aspect, Kagami didn't wish to have any budding hope despite the desire to jump on the officer and push him down.

Kagami was in a clumsily crazy state but there was one thing he was absolutely grateful for; Aomine didn't remember the kiss. It was a good thing, definitely. Even if it stung a little bit, it wasn't important.

He felt awkward and embarrassed anyway though, and suddenly finding himself talking about basketball, even if just for a second or two, made it even worse.

Basketball was one of the matters that ached badly. It was a major part of his childhood that he didn't feel comfortable sharing. He didn't know Aomine's reasons for stopping. The bluette might not been a very good player and it was too difficult to handle or maybe he'd been forced to stop as well. Kagami wondered but in the end, he wasn't excited about making the old scars bleed again.

It still hurt, not being able to play. But he didn't deserve to touch the ball and step to the court, let alone have that indefinite satisfaction of scoring. Not after breaking his brother's trust in him and making that disastrous mistake. He had betrayed basketball.

' _I fucked it up good, didn't I?_ ' He reflected.

The need to escape reality that shook his whole body hadn't been so strong for a long time. He could sleep for days, until he remembered how to forget. Discovering he wasn't over all the things as much as he'd judged made him just as more desperate for an escape.

"I hate this crap. Why can't I sleep?" throwing an arm over his eyes, he whined to the room.

Fortunately his body took a pity on him in spite of the mind's cruelty. He dozed off soon after.

Recalling he was 25 not 14 and back in those days anymore helped.

* * *

"We should head back, senpai."

Aomine spared a final glimpse at the scene of a car accident with a hint of unconcernedness and represented a curt nod to his partner.

Their job was finished after a simple deal of paperwork (done by Imai) and informing the chief that their shift was over (also done by Imai). Yet, there was a load of reports to write that Aomine had no aspiration to do.

He hated desk jobs which were all the work given to him and his partner whenever they weren't patrolling the streets in a stinking old junk. If he had wanted his occupation to entail extravagant paperwork, he would have been an office worker. Still, he had his reasons for showing up at work every day. He had to stay in Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department if he wanted to catch the bastards responsible for making his life a shithole. And there was nothing else he wanted more than that. He'd sworn he'd never forsake malignant retribution for her.

Therefore, he got into the sweat reeking car and let Imai drove them to the station. His mind was filled with images of revenge.

He had been chasing after a certain yakuza organization for a year when he'd made the mistake that had turned his life upside down. The organization had been known for smuggling chemicals and controlling the Red Light District Kabukichou as they'd been suspected with justification for illegal weapon distribution and human trafficking to Taiwan. As ironic as it was, the government had been signing contracts of construction with the organization. Their crimes had been concealed by the police force itself. Aomine had been investigating the deaths of an old couple and disappearance of three prostitutes at the time, seemingly unrelated two different cases. However, he'd sniffed out a bigger crime underneath.

He'd been very close to opening the drawn curtains on illegal connections between the high level government authorities and yakuza head whose group had been doing the dirty work for interest. He'd been missing only, albeit big, piece that would have connected the dots perfectly and paint a picture that would have forced the current executives to resign. He'd known that he'd been close, perilous close, but he didn't pay any heed to that detail.

That had been a crucial mistake.

On the night of raid of a warehouse suspected for the main deals had been done, he'd realized too late that he'd walked into a trap set up for him, with the assistance of the force he'd been a part of no less, and his defrauding partner. He had lost many comrades that night and her, Ono Aimi.

Aomine wasn't completely foolish. He knew the chief had played a part in it as well and the chief was aware of he knew. Yet, the rotten old man was nothing more than a puppet used in the hands of his superiors. Aomine had long lost the respect for his chief and his sacred vocation.

He shot his younger partner a pitying side-glance. Imai still had the innocent trust for who he believed were his comrades and novice's pride for his job in the false light of ideas. He probably believed that he could save every citizen's ass. That what they'd been doing was holy. Imai and his pure principles were annoying Aomine to the core because he was reminded of himself when he'd just become a police officer. He'd been just as naive.

He might not be a complete fool but he _was_ an idiot for being blind to the real danger and risking everything in the dictation of his principles. He would be even worse than an utter fool if he did the same mistakes again. However, after that night, the part of the organization that had struck them had vanished. Aomine had a feeling he was overlooking something. But he was yet to find out what.

"Senpai? Aren't you coming?"

Imai was eyeing him in worry. He was bent over to see inside of the vehicle. Aomine was brought back from his musings and noticed the car was stopped. He opened the vehicle's door without a word and walked beside Imai despite unwilling urges taking a root. He eventually came to a halt before the station. Imai gave him a curios look at first. Then he comprehended.

"I can handle the paperwork on my own, Aomine-senpai. You should go back, if you're tired."

"Yeah," veering off to leave, Aomine offered an appreciative wave of his hand with his back turned.

The night was falling and the day was at the end of its dusk. His mind became strangely blank as he stroll the streets. The cold wasn't one to freeze tonight, yet he shivered. His instincts rose to a warning. They waited something to happen.

A drunkard, half-alive, was lying on the ice next to a building. Few sniffers huddled together not far away. No souls there were who minded what would happen to him on the road to his home, Aomine noted.

Something was going to happen.

A dark figure emerged from an alley. It stood before him, pointing. He saw the glistening of metal when the figure took one step into the streetlight.

"Aomine Daiki. That your name, right?"

The figure was Nakano. He had escaped from the hospital, it seemed. He was wearing the pale green patient gown and a coat, and holding a gun pointed at Aomine.

"You remember your promise?"

* * *

He splashed his face with cold water. He had been somehow rescued from the prison of dreams. He had no recollection of what they were. And he solely cared ridding of aftereffects. He sought aid from a warm bath.

When he was dressed, he went to the living room, planning to have a smoke or ten. Then he remembered there wasn't any left. He heaved a sigh, and wore his shoes and coat.

The roads were dark as midnight when it was 9, despite all the lights coming from houses and streetlights.

He paid not much heed and headed to the closest tobacco shop and smoking area. He ignited a cigarette in urgency of nicotine deprivation.

His thoughts wondered toward Sato and restaurant. It wasn't busy at this hour but he hadn't talked to the aged man after that call. He pondered on checking how the old goat was doing. He finished the cigarette in a couple of drags and walked to the train station.

Sato had sounded worried to him. Kagami had been way worn out to opine then. But now he considered he could visit the old man and have a few drinks. Or a lot. He sure would appreciate the company of someone who knew a side of him no one else did in Japan, and he would listen to the old man's worries.

He cared about the chef as if he was his father. Sato had been looking after him since he was in the country. He had opened his house to Kagami, fed him, let him live with his family. He had found him jobs. Together with the old man's lovely wife, they'd taken care of him when he had been too drunk to distinguish right from left. The old man had even assisted him to be employed in Shiro Tora with good income.

Sato had been more of a parent to him than his biological father.

He headed straight to the restaurant. He planned to apologize to the old goat for slacking off. When he was on the street across from the restaurant, he came to a stop and looked in surprise at the shut doors. Shiro Tora was closed.

He took out his phone. He was about to call Sato when a white van drove into the alley next to the restaurant. Kagami could see clearly the storage's door opening, lightening the alley. The manager stepped out to greet the men getting out of the van. They carried cardboard boxes inside the storage.

Curios, Kagami crossed the street and took a shelter in the darkness. There was something about the manager that told him he shouldn't approach directly. The men as well looked not the best kind of people. When everyone was inside and no one was coming out to take anymore boxes, he slowly walked toward the storage door. It was shut. He contemplated opening it for a narrow space when the handle moved.

Kagami jumped away in panic and hid behind the trash bin. Two men came out and each of them took one box from the van before going back inside. Kagami decided quickly and reached just in time before the door was completely closed. Then he looked.

Inside the storage, there were at least a dozen of people he could detect from this angle. He hadn't ever seen most of them in his life but he recognized the rest. Some of his colleagues were standing near to a tall man wearing a long white fur coat; the manager, 3 waiters he didn't talk much and Ken. He didn't know who that man was, and he was speaking with authority to a different group of men. Those were not the ones who came with the van.

He concentrated on the conversation. He couldn't distinguish the words but heard Ken referring to the tall man as Boss in his clear voice. And Kagami could understand they were negotiating. Then the tall man gave an order and the boxes were opened by his men. The other group took out the contents. They were weapons. Revolvers, rifles, roulettes, any kind of firearm Kagami could recognize and more.

He was witnessing to a yakuza deal, he conceived. And he'd seen more than he should have. His heart quivered with what they'd do to him if he was found out but he couldn't leave. Not yet. He had a feeling he'd see something important if he watched a second more.

Finally, the tall man looked to his side and beckoned someone out of Kagami's view. He saw the tall man's profile and who he beckoned; Sato.

Feeling like his throat was gripped, Kagami ran from there as fast as he could. He was trembling when he finally stopped. He didn't know what to think and for a while, all he could do was hyperventilate. He wasn't sure what to make of he'd witnessed.

He knew he should report to the closest police station but Sato was involved. He didn't want to throw the old man to the fire without knowing the full story although he felt the pang of betrayal. What could justify working for yakuza?

His phone was still in his hand, he noticed. He tried to dial with the hindrance of his trembling fingers. When he eventually heard the dialing tone, he only had to wait for couple of rings before it was answered.

"Yeah?"

"Aomine! You're the only cop I know and… a-and I need to talk to you. Now."

TBC


	10. Chapter 9

"I didn't know you had company."

Kagami eyed the young man in Aomine's bed. He had bruises on his face and arms and he was wearing a hospital gown.

"Don't worry about him," Aomine motioned Kagami toward the small table they had sat in that morning. "He's completely past out."

Kagami nodded albeit hesitant. But he sat across Aomine on the same chair.

"Now tell me what's wrong."

He opened his mouth to shoot whatever passed his mind but then closed it and revised his words. He couldn't choose what to say first and didn't know where to start.

Shaking his head, he lit a cigarette to put his thoughts in an order. Aomine waited for him to begin patiently.

"I, ugh, I- Can I have a drink?"

Aomine gave him a long calculating look before he finally indicated the minibar with his head.

Kagami mindlessly grabbed a bottle and poured the alcohol into a white coffee mug to its fill. He chugged down the entire cup and breathed a sigh. Then he carried the bottle and the mug back to the table.

Fixing himself another drink, he at last found the right words to speak.

"I took the day off today because I was too tired," he said. He resolved that it would be easier to start from the beginning and be straight.

"I slept through the whole day and when I woke up at 9 or something, I went to the restaurant to— to see Sato-san. But it was closed. I thought it was weird 'cos we're open till 11, sometimes even midnight." He paused to swallow half of the mug's content.

"Then a white van pulled over and some men got out of it. The manager met with them and took them inside the storage. They carried some boxes. I wondered what was going on so I followed and... And I… I think… I saw a yakuza deal."

Kagami glanced at Aomine. The policeman had been mutely waiting for him to get to the point. But then his posture stiffened and he straightened in his chair.

"What did you see, Kagami?"

"I just told you. I saw a-"

"In details."

He shut his mouth and drank the rest of the alcohol.

"There were a lot of men. Men that I've never seen before. They were talking over those boxes. I couldn't hear what they were saying but I think one of them was their boss. I mean someone called him a boss, so he's gotta be the boss, right?"

He laughed nervously at his becoming stupid explanation. Kagami shot another glance at his friend. Aomine wasn't laughing. The redheaded cook had to carry on.

"And then they opened the boxes. There were guns in them… A lot of guns."

"How many people were there in total?"

"I'm not sure. I was peeking from a small opening. But at least 10… 12."

Kagami was finished with talking as he concluded it was time to just drink. He poured the alcohol, expensive cognac he took a notice, and realized his hands were still trembling. Then a hand covered his wrist with a strong grip and stopped him from lifting the mug. Kagami looked up at Aomine.

"What else?"

He bit inside of his cheek. Aomine was putting pressure on him with his stare. "I saw their boss' face. I mean half of his face. Only from the side. And… some of my colleagues were there. Even… Ken."

"And? Who else?"

Kagami tried to tear his gaze from Aomine's but he couldn't. He didn't want to utter the name. He didn't want to hear that name coming out of his mouth. Aomine tightened his hold enough to ache and he eventually cracked under policeman's rigidity. His eyebrows furrowed with pain in his heart.

"S…Sato-san. H-He was also there."

Aomine finally let go of him. He must be satisfied with his torment.

"Did you see anything else?"

"No," he replied honestly.

"Do you remember the van's plate number?"

Kagami shook his head with a hint of shame. "I didn't look. It didn't occur to me at that moment."

"And why did you come to me personally instead of officially reporting?"

Kagami looked at the man before him in surprise. "Because…"

"People you know are involved? For that Sato guy?"

"Y-yeah."

Aomine was thoughtful after his interrogation was over. Kagami couldn't decipher the policeman's expressionless face as to whether Aomine was judging him or not. It didn't matter to Kagami, though. If Aomine settled on investigating it legally, Kagami wouldn't attest a single word. Not before he knew why Sato was working with yakuza that it could be reported. That old goat must have reasons. He wouldn't just be up and go to the dark side because it was cool or something. That was ridiculous.

However, he wasn't sure what Aomine was thinking, either. He decided to test the waters.

"So… so what should I do?"

Aomine looked at him incredulously. "Absolutely nothing."

"What? Why? I can gather information-"

"I am a police officer, not to mention an ex-detective. _I_ can gather information."

"But I can provide you proof! As much as you'd need."

"You're a civilian. You'd be killed before you can even say help and there would be no trace of you left!"

"I'm not a shitty moron. I do have some experience in this stuff. Did you forget _I'm_ an ex-gang member? Hell, I already sneaked up on possibly  _two_ yakuza groups and I'm still alive! Yeah, it was scary but I'm no coward."

"It's not about fucking BRAVERY!" Aomine banged his fists on the table. He gravely glared at the redhead. " _Kagami!_ You. Do. Nothing!"

Kagami wasn't impressed. He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. He leveled his eyes on Aomine coldly. "If I do nothing, then what will you do?"

* * *

Aomine narrowed his eyes in irritation. He was interested in Kagami's case. He could find a lead on the group he'd been searching for. And if he didn't, he could relieve some of his vengeful urges. He didn't want an oblivious cook to be watched over, though. He grew quiet while contemplating his answer.

"He sure as hell won't resort to law."

The policeman turned around in his chair and saw the boy sitting on his bed and staring back at him.

"Ain't that right, Aomine Daiki?"

"Guess no one told you but it's rude to eavesdrop on people."

"Not like I could help it," the teenager replied. "You're both fucking loud."

"What, did we wake you up from your beauty sleep?" Aomine mocked him.

"Piss off!" The boy barked. Then he got up and hissed when he took a step with his left food. The handcuff that Aomine put on his wrists resounded as he limped to their side. "Take this off." He held out his wrists to him.

"No."

"C'mon, man, you took me to your place!"

Aomine gave a look that said arguing was pointless. "Cuff _stays_."

"Fine, whatever!" The injured boy turned to Kagami, "How can you stand to this guy?"

Kagami had been watching the two interact back and forth. He halted when the abused boy included him in the conversation.

"Ugh, who are you again?"

"A goddamn brat," Aomine gruffly answered.

"Nakano Kenta." Nakano ignored Aomine. "A guy that our nice cop here shot then told to kill him if I can. An' when I listen to his advice, he beats me. Thanks, by the way, for all the scars," he retorted to Aomine again who only shrugged. Then he looked back at Kagami expectantly.

"Ah, okay… I'm Kagami."

Aomine snorted seeing the redhead's marginally overwhelmed expression. As a consequence, he was shot a bad eye from the cook.

"I'd shake your hand but…" Nakano gestured his restrained hands. "Can I have one?" He reached toward the cigarette packs.

"Sure, go ahead." Kagami inclined his hand.

"No." Aomine took away the packs and scowled at Kagami. "Can't you see he's a snotty minor? Making everyone an addict is your lifetime goal or what?"

Aomine apparently had ticked him off too much. He was granted with a nasty glare from the redhead. "Do you think you're his fucking pretend father? None of your business what he does."

Aomine knew the redhead was right, though he would never admit such thing out loud. He was annoyed that he wasn't taken seriously as a damn cop.

"Couldn't say it better myself." Nakano attempted to reach once more for the cigarettes.

"And you! How old are you?" Kagami wasn't finished.

"17."

"Then you can have one 3 years later." Kagami turned to him again with a serious expression. "Aomine, you still didn't answer my question."

He sighed inwardly then rested his elbows on the table as he hardly leaned forward. His posture was to daunt the cook. The air around them tensed instantly. "What do you want me to do? Throw those bastards behind the bars or rescue Sato from the bad guy's lap?"

Kagami mimicked Aomine's figure and leaned on the table, as well. The stupid redhead showed he wasn't intimidated. " _You_ can do whatever you want with the bastards. _I_ want to save Sato-san and _you_ to help me with that."

They were soon in a staring contest of coercion. Nakano was watching from the side, his lips tightly shut.

What Kagami must feel like hours later, Aomine sat back.

"I'll help you," he agreed reluctantly.

"Perfect-"

"And when I say I'll help, it means you sit still and I do everything."

"Bullshit. You can't be unilateral about this-!"

"I mean it, Kagami, if you act without my permission, I'll take it to the higher-ups."

The redhead grimaced. "Then I'll deny everything and you won't have a witness to prove your word."

Aomine shook his head. "It makes no difference," he said and earned a skeptical cook.

"Laws aren't the same here with US. Smuggling firearms, distributing and using without a license is a major crime. If it's suspected, it will be investigated thoroughly."

Aomine was certain Kagami wasn't one to readily believe his words, not at this point anyway. But he guessed Kagami wasn't knowledgeable about how serious a matter to use weapons in Japan. This fact alone should be sufficient to make the cook abide by his rules.

"Then you say I'm screwed?" Nakano chimed in.

"You are," Aomine confirmed.

The teenager lowered his head in dismay before his face lightened as an idea seemingly struck him. "What if I'm your informant? Can you save my ass?"

"To be an informant, you gotta have valuable information, brat."

"I do know stuff you need. An' I got friends that know more than you can learn on your own."

"It's not about who bullied you in kindergarten, though."

"Stop being a prick for a second an' take me seriously!" Nakano snarled, furious to be belittled. "I know the group you're talking 'bout!"

Aomine didn't believe a word the teenager said, "Yeah, right."

"You work at Shiro Tora, yeah?" he asked Kagami.

Kagami nodded and Nakano looked at Aomine as if he won a trophy.

"So what?" The officer grunted. He was fed up with the tedious back and forth conversation. He saw the delinquent's confused stare. "Do you seriously expect me to believe you just because you guessed right where this dumbass works?"

Realization clearly dawned on Nakano then he raised his eyebrows meaningfully. "Where do ya think I got my gun?"

When he stopped to consider, the boy was on point. The teenager had him curios now. "Who gave you a gun, brat?"

"Nah, I ain't saying nothing yet. Either we got a deal or I don't talk."

' _Goddamn shitty kids!_ ' Aomine thought. A doping teenager was the last person he would want as an informant but he could understand Nakano was going to be stubborn about it. Coming to a decision eventually, Aomine acknowledged. "I'll forget you threatened my life with a gun."

"Nah, I need more than that."

"First, prove me you actually do know something useful. Give and take is a two-way street."

Nakano pouted like a brat he was but Aomine knew he would cave in. He had dealt with more stubborn and quick-witted criminals in the past and he had always taken what he had wanted from them.

"…Fine," the teenager came around, albeit aversely. "Shiro Tora belongs to Inaguchi-gumi, well it's owned by its section that rules all of Tokyo, Chidakarekaze-kai. They used to sell drugs but now guns an' all kinds of shit going around in the streets."

The policeman blinked stupidly. It was hard to admit for him but he was caught off guard by what he heard. He was about to demand Nakano to repeat but Kagami acted before him.

"How come you know Shiro Tora is owned by this group?"

"When you live in the streets ya hafta know where you don't wanna 'visit'."

Kagami indicated that he understood then he asked another question in his mind. "How can you be sure that these people, Chidakarekaze was it, are responsible for the guns on the streets?"

"You saw for yourself, ain't ya? Plus I told ya they rule Tokyo. Can't another group do business here, anyone would know better. They'd be long dead if someone's that stupid," Nakano explained with unexpected patience. "So we gotta deal or nah?" he asked Aomine, though he was smug about it. He was certain the police officer was on hook.

Aomine however was lost in his inner turmoil. It was _them_. The very same group he was searching every corner for. He was sure, even accepted, it would take a few more years to finally find them but they were suddenly dropped into his lap. Ironically, he couldn't form a plan let alone get a concrete hold of his thoughts. His eyes focused on the forgotten cognac bottle and he desired to drown in alcoholic poison.

"Aomine?"

He heard Kagami call out his name. He heard but ignored. His attention still on the cognac, he reached out but then faltered. It wasn't time to drink. It was time to take advantage of the information he was given and finally take his sweet, sweet avenge.

He shivered in excitement.

* * *

Kagami saw the obvious transmute in Aomine's demeanor. He couldn't understand him, though. He tried again.

"Aomine? You okay-?"

"Shut up. I'm thinking." The policeman cut him off sharply. He was surprised but he concealed it. Nakano visibly flinched due to Aomine's tone. The police officer on the other hand seemed unaware.

"Nakano," Aomine looked up at the teenager, "You'll be my informant." His eyes narrowed dangerously, "Better start to speak _now_."

"U-ugh, okay." Kagami pitied the criminal teenager. Aomine successfully rattled the boy. "Shiro Tora has a pretend owner, so they can be hidden from public eye. But the real owner is-"

"Ishikawa Arata." The officer completed his sentence. "What else?"

"Yeah. E-even in the streets not many know Shiro Tora is owned by them. Most just know to stay away an' guess its theirs."

"I can figure out that much by myself. Don't you have anything useful? Like frequenting customers? Anyone else working with them behind the scenes?"

"N-no. That's all I know. But-!" Nakano was in a haste to continue before Aomine terminated their deal. "I can learn more, just need time an' be out in the streets."

Kagami could see Nakano was growing impatient in the face of Aomine's mute regarding.

"Alright," the policeman eventually agreed. "I'll talk to the chief and see it through."

The redhead was at the end of his rope. He couldn't abstain anymore. It was unbelievable Aomine accepted Nakano, a _teenager_ , while he was omitted. "And I'll find proves."

"The hell, are you retarded? I told you to stay fucking put!" Aomine reprehended.

"Oh, it's enough of that bullcrap! You can't fucking stop me, Aomine! I'm working _inside_ and they have _no_ _clue._ They'd be revealing something eventually and I'm the only one who can tell you what the fuck that is!" Kagami gnashed and yelled angrily at the officer who just refused to see eye to eye with him. However, Nakano had the same opinion with the redhead.

"He's right, Aomine. Nothing beats having a man inside."

"It isn't up to two of you," the policeman grumbled but he relented. "Alright. Keep your eyes open Kagami-"

"'Course-"

"But don't try to spy on them again! You let me know if you suspect anything like today is gonna happen. Hear me? Be on alert and don't trust anyone."

Kagami frowned. "Obviously."

"Sato included."

The redhead hesitated a fleeting second but he nodded, irritated. The thought didn't sit well with him. He had spent these past years doing nothing but trusting the old man. And Aomine was speaking of him as if Sato was a lowly scum. That was how he sounded to Kagami and he hated it.

But he had nothing to do except listen Aomine. He had asked his help in his own volition and the bluette accepted it. He could only light another cigarette in stress.

"Yeah! This sounds exciting, ain't that right, Kagami-san?" Nakano cheerfully acclaimed as if he was permitted to go on a field trip.

"Oh, he is Kagami-san and I'm just Aomine?" the policeman returned to being his only-grumpy self in moments.

Nakano swayed his head sagely. "He ain't a cop. An' he ain't beating me up. Plus he's cooler than you."

Aomine raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "How the hell he's cooler?"

"Well, he's ripped like he can take any cop and that red hair-"

"So he looks like a delinquent. Like you wannabe-"

Nakano was about to rant about Kagami's traits and Aomine would rebuff everything the teenager said. The redhead felt uncomfortable being the target of such a quarrel. Moreover, he didn't agree with Nakano. Aomine was much cooler than him since they had met. He cut them off while refilling his mug with cognac.

"Okay, that's enough!"

"Look at this assclown. He's embarrassed," Aomine picked on him like he always had.

"I'm not embarrassed, shitbag," Kagami retorted calmly. He opened the window to have fresh air. All the smoke was giving him a headache. He moved the large cup to his mouth and had consecutive sips.

"Yeah, you wouldn't be embarrassed. You got this I'm-too-sexy-for-humanity attitude. You might be. But you don't get to brag about it."

Kagami coughed and the mug slipped from his hand. ' _Did he just say-?_ ' He couldn't finish the thought because of a sudden wetness on his shirt and lap. Aomine smirked.

"Crap!" He attempted to wipe his shirt and pants with his hands but it did nothing. The cold breeze coming from the window made him quiver. He re-closed the window in haste. The smell of alcohol was sharp and detestable for his nose. He removed the garment and eyed his wet lap helplessly.

"Wow."

Kagami looked up to see profound awe in Nakano's eyes. They were glued to his tattoo on his right arm.

"Told ya he's cool."

"Never said he wasn't."

His head spin towards Aomine. Kagami knew he was gaping but he couldn't shut his mouth for a moment. The officer too was inspecting his arm. Their eyes met and Kagami scowled instantly. He hoped Aomine didn't notice his shock of surprise. That would be actually embarrassing.

"Stop ogling me and gave me a shirt or something."

Aomine stood up from his chair and trudged up to his two-door wardrobe in the other side of the room.

"I saw lots of yakuza tats but never one like this. Kagami-san, where did ya get inked?"

"In the States," Kagami answered, distracted. "When I was 13 or 14. I don't remember exactly."

"States?" Nakano was confused.

"America."

"America!? You been to America!?"

Kagami looked up at the teenager, "I grew up there."

He saw Nakano's eye shine brightly. ' _Ugh…_ ' It seemed to Kagami he would be idolized by the teenager. He might not be able to change Nakano's opinion of him easily, though he didn't think he was the ideal role model for anyone.

"Here," Aomine came back and handed him an orange sweatshirt. "You sure were young. Wasn't it against the laws?"

"Yeah but who gives a shit really?" He grimaced to color but wore the sweatshirt, and immediately assaulted by the smell of the officer. Aomine's scent benignly engulfed him. He needed a distraction before he was making googly eyes and just generally being a sappy creep. It wasn't the time for anything like this. ' _Get your mind out of the gutter, Taiga!_ '

He found his distraction when he looked at the sweater's front. There were two stick figures on it and they were shagging. "You got some fucked up fashion sense, don't you?" He channeled the question to Aomine, deadpanning, as he prayed in his mind, ' _Thank you, the Almighty, for the turn-off._ '

The bluette shrugged. "I like orange and I like fucking."

Kagami snorted and smirked up at Aomine. "Oh yeah? And here I thought you were out of business for so long that you've had blue balls and they dropped off at some point."

Aomine threw a lighter to his head with a flick of his wrist. It hit Kagami's forehead with perfect precision as the lighter bounced off and flew back into Aomine's hand.

Kagami laughed while Aomine lit a cigarette to smoke and sulked. Nakano sneaked one for himself and Aomine let it pass this time. They devised a strategy for each of the individuals' roles for the case the cook had brought in. It was mostly Aomine ordering the other two as to what they were going to do while the police officer would inspect on his own. Aomine demanded Kagami to give him all the names of his coworkers. He was planning to run criminal record checks on every one of them.

As they were setting the plot on their minds, the doorbell rang. It was Susa who arrived to take Nakano back. Aomine was talking to him in the entrance. He was explaining the situation while leaving out some details about Nakano's assault and not even mentioning the yakuza case.

"Kagami-san?"

The redhead directed his attention to the teenager.

"You won't give up on your friend, right?"

His eyes flickered to the two officers at the door. They were still engrossed in their talk. He looked back at Nakano and said with determination, "I won't."

The teenager's face lit up with a small smile.

When Susa finally nodded his understanding, Aomine beckoned Nakano. The teenager kept the smile as he went with the older police officer.

When Aomine returned, Kagami stood up.

"Leaving?"

"Don't wanna miss the last train again."

While putting on his shoes and getting ready to leave, Kagami turned around.

"Aomine… Thanks."

"I thought you didn't like the sweater," the officer said tauntingly.

"It's awful but I'm not talking about the sweater."

The policeman sighed. "I know. Don't thank me yet, though."

Kagami said nothing and opened the door. Holding the handle, he exited the apartment.

"Be careful, Kagami."

The redhead grinned over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may think of Kagami's tattoo as this one above. It is the closest one to my imagination. If you think of something else, that's fine. Suit to your own imagination. ^_^  
> The update had to be delayed for a few days due to my health problems, by the way. I apologize.  
> 


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: OOCness

Kagami went to work earlier than usual. Only the manager was there, busy with some paperwork. He tensed seeing the middle-aged man.

"…Good morning, Shogo-san." Kagami cringed, hearing how stiff he sounded.

The manager looked at him over his glasses before he curtly accepted his greeting. "Good morning, Kagami Taiga."

Kagami grimaced at the usage of his full name. The manager treated him as if he was a piece of dirt on the ground that must be scrubbed clean since day 1. He'd thought it was because of his appearance. But that couldn't be the reason. The manager was with yakuza. He was among uglier looking men. The manager must simply hate Kagami's guts.

The cook shook his head and exhaled. He entered the kitchen and began his morning preparations.

He'd been unnerved despite all the fight he'd given against Aomine in the night before. The idea of him could have been found out somehow had abruptly struck him when he'd been alone in his home. It had kept him up all night. But nothing as if had happened last night, his coworkers arrived one by one and greeted him. He was in the clear, it seemed.

His nerves calmed and he regained his cool. It was going to be easy to hear and see everything as his part of the deal. There wasn't any need to doubt himself. Relaxing, he took out his working tools.

"Morning, Taiga-san!"

His Santoku and Chef knives that he had just taken from the booster heater fell to the floor. They barely missed his toes.

"Whoa, you okay there? Are you hurt?"

Ken crouched down beside him to help him gathering the knives.

"I'm okay," he smiled as sincerely as he could manage, which wasn't impressive or a success. "Morning, Ken."

Ken grinned at him while holding a sharp object in his hand. He couldn't help but subtly hold the Santoku knife in front of him for defense. He recalled the sight of his cute kouhai together with yakuza men. It was contradicting with Ken's innocent behavior. He had to be feigning it and it was twisted.

His relaxation must be flake. It was going to be a hard day at work for Kagami.

 

* * *

 

Aomine and Imai were stationed in a calm neighborhood. They were eating convenience store bought bento while Imai was telling Aomine the soccer game he had watched last night. Aomine had half an ear on Imai's story as he thought about the previous night's conversation.

He had finally, _finally_ found them, especially that man, Ishikawa Arata. He desired to hunt him down with every fiber in his body but he was going to handle everything with extreme care this time. He was already calculating every step of his plan and evaluating every possible outcome. No one except those bastards was going to die uselessly. Not on his watch.

He wouldn't want to involve Nakano and Kagami or anybody else for that matter. However, he was aware he might miss his precious chance if he attempted to act all alone. It could be too late when he took action. It would be much faster if there were a couple of people on his side. People who knew what they were doing though, not amateurs. But he had no one he could trust from his colleagues.

No, he actually did trust Susa but he did not want to put him on danger. His colleague was in an unexplainably happy relationship with a maniac. And except him, there was no one.

Imai was a new guy in the force and he was yet to earn Aomine's full reliance, at least for a case like this. Even though Imai was an orphan living alone and despite being a newbie, he was better than the two Aomine was working together. Nakano and Kagami had confidence in themselves, though. They had gone to great pains making him believe they weren't completely useless, especially Kagami.

Aomine believed Nakano would be fine. The boy had grown up being a part of the streets and he was street smart. Kagami on the other hand he could never be certain of. The cook had mentioned his childhood had been difficult as well. But being a bad boy in the past did not mean he could deal with Japanese mafia. Kagami was calm and composed but he had reckless urges apparently. Spying on yakuza? That was the definition of reckless.

Aomine had to watch over Kagami to be sure the redhead wasn't doing anything idiotic. As unexpected and undesired as it was in the beginning, Kagami was his friend.

" _All officers, attention! There is a dispute in Shinjuku District Area 2, Ni-choume! A group of five men brawling in the 2_ _nd_ _street, unarmed. Closest officers to the scene!_ " The receiver on the car got to work with a crosstalk.

"We are on our way!" Imai spoke to the receiver and gave their id numbers. He started the engine and turned on the siren. He drove to the venue as they got the confirmation.

Aomine was unkindly awoken from his reverie. He straightened up in his seat as he fastened his seat belt. He was reminded he still had his day job to do, whether some homos fighting over some other homo mattered to him or not. After this, he was going to pay a visit to some acquaintances from old days. And there was still an annoying blond to murder.

 

* * *

 

"Hey, Ken, come here." Shogo beckoned Ken. Kagami's ears stood up, trying to listen in while chopping a cabbage. "What did you do with yesterday's goods?"

"I put them into the refrigeration."

"What? Haven't I told you they were going to be stored in the storage?"

"O-oh, I'm sorry, Shogo-san!"

The manager scolded Ken harshly. The imaginary red alert switched on in Kagami's head. He watched Ken to open the reach in refrigeration discreetly. A million warnings were going on in his mind as he was considering to call or text Aomine. Then Ken took out 4 skinned turkeys and walked away carrying them.

' _You fucking idiot, they obviously wouldn't take the guns out in broad daylight! And why the hell would they hide them in the fucking refrigeration to begin with!?_ ' Kagami furiously dropped the pieces of cabbage in boiling water. Then he got to mercilessly dismantle a whole chicken.

It was around noon, the busiest time for the staff. Even though his hands were full with orders, his mind was occupied with suspicions of who else was involved and not. The worst case scenario was everyone except him was actually a yakuza member. He didn't want to believe that, though he couldn't discard the possibility. But because of this, he was getting paranoid. He felt fortunate Sato-san was yet to come to work for his shift.

He inhaled and closed his eyes. He held his breath as he counted down from 5. Then he exhaled and returned to his work with a clear head. When he couldn't take an immediate break, he used this method. Taking short breaks in his mind helped him out. Staying calm was more important than playing agent, he imagined what Aomine would say. And he thought finding any sort of information in the first day was too much expectation.

So he tried to retain his composure and it got easier and natural as the days past. Aomine called him in every evening and that was the only strange occurrence. But even that became normal eventually. Though there was this one instance Kagami had got told off by the officer.

In the second day he had been 'spying', he had misunderstood a speech between his coworkers just like in Ken's case. Kagami had been worn out at the end of the day because it had been busier than usual. His brain couldn't cope with reason and logic as he had urgently texted the policeman. He had written something along the lines: _They are doing it again tonight!_

Kagami felt embarrassed thinking it now. What they had been going to do was just late receiving a supply of rice and stocking them after the restaurant was closed. When it had been revealed, he had forgotten that he had texted Aomine and had gone home. He had taken a long bath and when he had been dressing, he only then had checked his phone. Just as he had picked it up, his phone had rung.

"Yeah?"

"Kagami! Where are you? Give me your location! Are you able to talk?"

"Wha…?"

"Are you okay!?"

"Aomine, calm down. I am fine. What's going on?"

"You texted me but then didn't answer any of my calls and never texted me again. Are you really fine?"

' _Oh… OH FUCK._ '

"Yeah… Yes. Sorry about this. I was in the shower and it was a false alert."

"…"

"A-aomine?"

"Kagami, do you realize what we're doing?"

"I… do?"

"What are we doing, Kagami?"

"We are investigating on a yakuza group."

"That's goddamn right! And what do _you_ fucking do? Text me danger then take a fucking shower! If you're playing around then go to that shitty park and play with those shitty ducks! Are you playing around Kagami!?"

"No, I'm not."

"I was ready to bust that fucking place! You will answer all of my calls from now on! Are you listening!?"

"It's impossible not to. Look dude, I'm sorry okay? I made a mistake-" Stating this out loud had also been a mistake.

Aomine had nagged for at least an hour until Kagami's eardrums couldn't take the yelling anymore. Aomine had been right, though. Kagami had acted stupidly. He should have been more careful and at least inform the officer right away that the situation had turned out nothing important.

Kagami had agreed with the policeman that he had deserved a scolding. But he had been barely holding his laughter in because how Aomine had got worked up and told him to play with ducks had been hilarious.

Recalling the conversation now, Kagami laughed a bit. A week had past and Kagami made a point of not letting Aomine wait longer than 2 rings. Their conversations were short, mostly Aomine checking on him if he was still alive or not. Aomine might actually be more paranoid than him, or maybe he didn't have enough faith in Kagami. That particular phone call had certainly not helped.

Meanwhile, the police officer wasn't sharing how his investigation was going. Kagami wondered if Aomine had found anything. He considered asking and whether he would get an answer or not. Probably not.

Though Kagami really wanted to know what the policeman was up to. He hoped that Aomine wasn't putting his life in risk. Aomine was the one who kept telling him to be cautious and he was a police officer, had much more experience and was a professional. But that didn't mean the bluette would heed to his own warnings. If something happened to him because of Kagami, because he had sought Aomine's help, Kagami couldn't live with it.

He wished for a way to protect Sato-san and Aomine.

 

* * *

 

Aomine angrily hung up the phone and cursed at Kagami and his ancestors. If nothing else, Kagami would be the cause of his death, he began to suspect. The redhead had had him worried for a while, Aomine had to admit. He had even contemplated on calling for backup in case that the situation had been way direr, thus, ruin the whole secret investigation. But no, Kagami had just been too busy with his beauty care to answer his calls.

"Fucking shitty cook," he swore. He chilled out a bit and thought he had overreacted, just slightly. Or maybe not. They _were_ handling a mafia organization.

"Damn it!" He yelled in the middle of a street. The pedestrians turned their heads to him in shock of surprise and he felt better.

He was on his way to his apartment from Satsuki's house. He had been chewing up a stupid blond who wasn't aware of anything. But that had irritated Aomine even more. He was surrounded by clueless simpletons.

He had deemed Wakamatsu an annoying fool since high school, though he was relieved to confirm the blond wasn't involved. Aomine would have murdered Wakamatsu right then and there, causing Satsuki an eternal trauma. Aomine would have just cursed the blond even more and stomped on his dead body.

So he was in an improving mood when he arrived at his home. Wakamatsu wasn't working with yakuza. Like Nakano had said, the blond had thought the pretend owner of Shiro Tora was the actual owner and that man was Wakamatsu's friend. And Kagami was still alive and kicking, and a dumbass.

He had talked Nakano's release over with his chief in the morning. His superior had been hesitant but he had agreed without giving much of a formidable argument. Aomine suspected the chief had preferred going along with the bluette's acceptable whims to going against them and as a consequence had Aomine wrecking his desk. Again. He did have anger management issues in his personal record after all even though that issue had manifested itself only once.

After Aimi's death, Aomine had been in a dark place where he could have enjoyed single-handedly murdering anyone who he hadn't liked the appearance of. He hadn't stopped searching the organization and how his plans had been leaked. His partner's dying words were Aomine had been flogging a dead horse and the bluette was alone in his cause. It hadn't taken much long for Aomine's investigation to lead up to his chief.

Although the old man hadn't orchestrated a plot against Aomine, he had been strictly ordered to abolish the bluette's act toward the end, Aomine had gone berserk. He had seen red and stormed into the old man's office. He had flipped over that heavy oak desk. He wasn't sure how he had pulled that off; he had been going really mad. He then had grabbed the chief's collar, probably to make the old man sit on the flipped desk. But he had been restrained by other police officers. Though he had thrown them off of himself and pummeled a few of them down, Susa at last had managed to stop him from beating their superior.

It had come as no surprise when he had been forced to take a paid leave. Imayoshi had claimed that Aomine should be grateful for not being suspended and bow down low to Susa. The bluette _had_ been grateful to Susa, he still was. If it weren't for the brunette, Aomine would have been stuck in that stinking junk of a car permanently. He might have lost all of his connections and this opportunity because he would be sent away to another department. His rank degradation was only temporary, he knew. And he could inspect now without standing out too much.

He had really got to know Susa when they had been assigned to the same department. Susa had a good head on his shoulders. Aomine didn't show it much but he had respect for the older male. He would always doubt Susa's choices in life, though.

His phone chimed and dispersed his thoughts. He was surprised to see a mail from Kuroko. He was reminding Aomine their deal of a cup of coffee and whether now was a good time or not. It was a terrible time actually. Aomine mustn't distract himself from this yakuza case. So he refused with a short mail, one that his patience could afford. But he took a note in his mind to take the offer after this ordeal was finished for good.

He put the phone back into his pocket and went home at a quiet lope in order to get ready for his night job.

 

* * *

 

He walked the streets of Kabukichou in an assured pace. Some hostesses and shrewd men were calling him to their new cabarets. He must smell like money as he was suited up. But he had a specific place to visit. So Aomine passed by them, disregarding their calls.

He hadn't come to Kabukichou for a long time. He forgot how hard to make his way through the crowd of people in the street brightened by mostly neon lights. Though it didn't distract him from the location of the club he headed.

He saw the building to his right and dived horizontally through a large group of college students. The long signage for clubs showed the one he looked for was on the second floor of block A: Club Arcadia.

The clerk greeted him kindly despite the slight cringe the policeman detected on the man's face. Men usually didn't go to host clubs but it wasn't exceptional enough to be despised. And the clerk hid it well if not for the ex-detective's trained eyes.

He had made a reservation under the alias of Nakamura Daiki. He paid the fees beforehand for entrance, table and requesting a particular host. His wallet felt very light as he walked to the table reserved for him. Requesting their number 1 host certainly made his wallet emptier of cash.

Inside of the club was decorated in a dark and elegant Victorian-modern Japanese culture mixture theme. Black, satin wallpaper and black, red leather couches gave an impression of would-be suffocating; however, the spacious areas between tables and well set white lights balanced it out.

Aomine settled on a three seaters couch; inky black, large, and comfortable. Just as he sat, the fatigue traveled through his body. He had to resist the urge to put his feet on the low table. Instead, he leaned back and splayed a bit on the cozy cushions in a way that didn't present him like a homeless bum in a suit.

The club was moderately crowded. He thought he might have to wait for a while for the popular host. It was fine as he had the opportunity to rest thanks to it. He didn't close his eyes because he could fall asleep right there if he did. He opted to watch the ceiling. But the events of the day flashed before his imaginary vision anyway. Just remembering the foolish phone call and the alarm he had felt due to an idiotic cook was enough to burn his already tired eyes. Resting seemed resisting to go the way it was meant to.

Fortunately he didn't have to wait long.

"It has been a while, Daiki. Welcome."

Aomine looked down to see the man in request charmingly smile at him. The supposedly quite popular host among females was Ouji-sama*. He was dressed in tight black jeans that wrapped his legs like a second skin, and white fluffy dress shirt under a jacket made of luxe, shiny fabric with an alternative tie loose around his neck. His jet black hair was tinted with grey as its left side was long enough to reach his chin and covered half of his beautiful face, while the right side was cut short to the eyebrow level and steepened to the front. He was sizing his guest up with one, deep green eye.

Aomine scorned; the fashion sense of hosts was one he didn't like. Though he just nodded and let the man sit beside him.

"You're too damn expensive, Tatsuya."

"Don't say that." He slid on the cushion closer to Aomine, not enough to touch but invade the officer's personal space. "It will be worthy of your time."

"You damn better make sure it's worth my money too, bastard."

"It is good to see you have not changed." Tatsuya smiled dazzlingly and insincerely. He crossed his legs and slightly leaned toward the policeman with a superior aura. "That must be your thing. I cannot say I dislike it."

Aomine responded with a blank face. He knew Tatsuya was acting and just generally doing his job for the sake of not being perceived as any more suspicious. However, Aomine didn't make the effort to get in a flirtatious role. It wasn't in his character and even the idea abhorred him.

Their attention was abruptly drawn to the other side of the room as they heard a raise in some conversation. They saw 4 hosts glaring at the popular host with a mixture of jealousy and admiration. Neither Aomine nor Tatsuya altered their expression for a trice. They turned to each other after sparing a second to the other hosts.

"What's their deal?" Aomine inquired albeit uninterested.

Tatsuya hummed in what Aomine could consider self-satisfaction. "None of them have male customers. They favor me for being able to handle my male guests as well as my female guests."

"You hosts are way too competitive. Life's too fucking short for having unnecessary rivals."

"It is my job. Doesn't any other job include rivalry, Dai-kun?" Tatsuya stated more than asking as he leaned even closer with a playful wink.

"Bleh, don't call me like that. It's already disgusting having you use my given name."

The beautiful host threw a resounding, joyous laugh.

"And you're overacting, it's creeping me out."

Tatsuya kept chuckling. If Aomine's declaration offended him, he didn't show it. But he dropped the Ouji-sama role at least from his tone and speech. "I can't call you Aomine now, can I? Anyhow, what will you have? Wine? Champagne?"

"Beer."

"Always a cheapskate," he said though he ordered what the officer wanted.

Aomine didn't retort as they both knew Aomine had paid enough for this meeting and there was still the drinks to pay after. As their beers arrived, Tatsuya poured him a glass.

"Let's get to business already," the officer grumbled through his gulps of beer.

Though Tatsuya's body manner didn't falter, Aomine could see him getting serious. "Alright. But look a bit more like you're enjoying my company, please. I don't want questions of my skills to arise."

Aomine grunted but he forced a smile that must look stiff because Tatsuya immediately snorted and held back a fit of laughter.

"Fuck off," Aomine swore through his teeth.

"No, sorry, you look good."

"I don't want your pity compliment, jackass."

Tatsuya smiled as he shook his head a little, "You got the looks but you'd never be popular as a host. You're terrible at pleasing people and accepting nice words."

"Who gives a shit? Stop dilly-dallying."

Tatsuya nodded with a given-up look, "What's the situation?"

Without waiting a beat, Aomine gave a quick gist of the knowledge he had: "Chidakarekaze-kai has shown itself again. They distribute weapons on the streets and I'm guessing to other groups." He and Tatsuya were striving for a mutual goal when it came to yakuza since a few years back. The host despised them as much as Aomine did.

It was unknown to the host's ex-schoolmates but Tatsuya's father had borrowed a large sum of money from a yakuza group after his corporation had gone bankrupt. He couldn't save his business as his debt had only piled under high-interest. The family had had death threats from the group until the father couldn't overcome it and had hanged himself, leaving his wife and only son to clean up the mess he had left behind.

It was Tatsuya who had found his father one day hanging from the ceiling of his bedroom after coming back from school. He had dropped out of high school in his third year in order to work to clear the debt, for the sake of saving his mother. Other family members of Himuro had turned their backs on the mother and child. As far as Aomine knew, Tatsuya was still working to pay off the debt.

So Aomine had expected a bigger reaction from the host than widened eyes and a twitch. He was confused before he came to a disturbing conclusion: "You knew."

Tatsuya only uncomfortably sat back and reached to his glass of beer.

" _You knew_!?" Aomine barked too loud.

"Calm down," Tatsuya instantly inclined toward the fuming officer with a fake smile curving his lips. "I didn't know but I heard rumors-"

"Then why the fuck didn't you inform me!?"

"I said calm down. People are staring." It was true. As Aomine glanced out of the corner of his eye, he saw many heads turned to them. "I heard the rumors only recently. I wasn't sure if it was really them. But since you seem assured, then the rumors are most likely true."

Aomine gnashed before altering his facial expression to the previous forcefully pleased one. But his voice was on the verge of quivering due to impending fury. "So, fucker? What did you hear?"

Aomine was certain what Tatsuya decided to share with him had a good sense of truth in them. The host used his job and looks to gather information from women who had connections with influential men and overall too little things didn't reach to his ears. Moreover, he was good at distinguishing the possible truths from the definite lies.

Of course, Tatsuya wasn't Aomine's only source of information but he was the most valuable one. Throughout the short couple of years, they had maintained a relationship that had relied on exchanging information. The both of them had been flabbergasted when Chidakarekaze-kai had vanished without a trace two years ago.

But now Tatsuya hearing about them again only verified the words of Nakano and Kagami.

"I mostly heard what you just said to me. They are snuggling guns and helping other organizations to distribute their goods in Tokyo. I don't think Inaguchi-gumi is doing it all around Japan, it's safe to assume it's only Chidakarekaze. But they got the permission from the boss."

Aomine slowly nodded, his mind was in a storm of thoughts.

Tatsuya spoke in a low voice after a quick silence between them, "What do you need from me?"

"Nakano Kenta. Do you know him?"

The host thought the name over before he shook his head. "Never heard of him. Why?"

"He'll be my informant. I want you to keep your eyes on him." Aomine handed him a small paper that included basic information about Nakano.

Tatsuya did a quick once-over, "I see. He isn't exactly a reliable source. Do you think he can lose himself doing cracks or get himself arrested?"

"That and since he's a brat, he can feel stupidly courageous."

The host raised an eyebrow but he nodded, "So you want me to look after him. Alright but I won't be in direct contact with him."

"That's fine."

Aomine watched Tatsuya to fold the paper and put it into his pocket before he offhandedly asked, "Are you working on a case?"

The police officer faltered and considered how much he should reveal to Tatsuya. Then he decided a moderate amount should be sufficient as the host could decide better which mouths to listen if he knew what was going on.

"A friend came to me not long ago asking for a favor. One of his acquaintances is doing business with Chidakarekaze and he thinks that acquaintance has no choice but to work with them. He wants me to "help" to save that person. They are working at this restaurant called Shiro Tora. But apparently the place is some sort of a base for Chidakarekaze to make their deals."

Tatsuya listened to Aomine with peaked interest. "So you're helping your friend unofficially. What is his name? I can look into him if you want, he could be working for them and this may be a trap."

Aomine stopped to ponder. It wasn't very possible as it was also not unlikely. But then he decided that he believed what he had seen in Kagami that night. The cook had been honest with him, his instincts told.

"No, he's good." Though there was no need to doubt the redhead, Aomine saw no harm telling Tatsuya who his friend was. It could even turn out useful in some ways. "His name is Kagami Taiga-"

"What…?"

Aomine didn't continue, instead, he observed the host. Tatsuya's fake flirtatious body manner rudely froze. His smiling poker face slowly crumbled as Aomine heard the host mumbling Kagami's name over and over in disbelief.

"Kagami… Taiga, you said. Kagami Taiga? No, it must be a coincidence. He can't be the same person… No."

"What? You know Kagami?"

Tatsuya looked at him with largely widened eyes and a paled face despite all the makeup he wore. He looked much like a deer in the headlights. It was hilarious as it was also disturbing.

"…I knew someone called Kagami Taiga. But he cannot be your Kagami Taiga because the one I know is not even in this country. Yes, that's right. Not the same person."

Tatsuya looked tremendously relieved in a matter of seconds. Aomine was worried that the host would have a hysterical attack in an unexpected moment and his cover would be blown. But Tatsuya knowing Kagami was alarming because if the host heard the cook's name, it wouldn't be connected to anything good. Could Aomine choose to trust wrong person again?

"The one I'm talking about said he came from America 5 years ago."

"What!?" The host grabbed his arm tightly, his knuckles were white from the grip. He glared into Aomine's eyes in anger and a touch of fear. "Does he have red hair and red eyes, split eyebrows and always carry a ring around his neck?"

Aomine frowned at the host's odd reaction and the legitimate description of Kagami. "Yeah, except the ring, the rest sounds like him. He never had a ring though."

"…Then he's the same person? If he's the same person, are you fucking stupid trusting a bastard like him!? Don't you know better!? You are a police-!"

"Chill, Tatsuya. Be careful of what you fucking say." Though Aomine hushed the host coolly, he was furious in his mind. He didn't know why Tatsuya lost his shit but if the host was the one who blew Aomine's crappy cover, then the officer would cancel their compact.

He felt Tatsuya relax after some tense moments and saw the reason and sanity returning to his eyes. During this pause, Aomine could think, either. "So you do know him? How can that be? Something this convenient only happens in fictions**."

Aomine expected him to agree but Tatsuya never did. The fine host had a sour look as he seemed lost in thoughts. Aomine's scowl deepened. He examined Tatsuya as a messy swirl of emotions passed through the male; anger, curiosity, panic, and grief. What was going on, the officer had no clue. What could have happened between Tatsuya and Kagami, if they really knew each other?

In the end, Aomine couldn't know and Tatsuya didn't seem he would appease his wonder. "Stop frigging pouting. You're ruining your self-praised image."

The host blinked repeatedly, failing to comprehend before he looked up to see several inquiring gazes on himself. Instantly, he got back into his character as he focused his eyes on Aomine. "My image isn't only self-praised," he said as he offered a professional smile.

Aomine snorted and settled on his own to close the entire topic of Kagami Taiga. For now, at least. "Whatever. Have you heard anything else about Chidakarekaze?"

Tatsuya nodded, "There is one thing I was planning to tell you even if you didn't come here tonight." Then he bent his head to directly whisper in Aomine's ear.

The officer's expression changed into bewilderment as he listened to Tatsuya.

 

* * *

 

He paid the cost of drinks, though he was detached from his own movements as he thought over and over what Tatsuya had said. He was leaving the club when Tatsuya called his name and walked up to him: "Daiki!"

"What?"

"This Kagami Taiga…" The host was uncomfortable and a bit edgy. "Don't let us see each other. Ever."

"Why?"

Tatsuya looked into his eyes in severity of his next declaration: "Because if he is _him_ … I will kill him."

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Ouji-sama means Prince and it is one of the two most popular styles among females. The other one is bad boy look. If you want to know where I did my research and/or wonder about other details about host clubs & hosts, please request in the comments.
> 
> **You got me, Aomine. You got me.
> 
> The yakuza organization, restaurant and the host club are all fictional. They are not real. (Shocker, huh :D)
> 
> Don't worry, I totally know what I'm doing. I'm not possessed by cliche encounters or anything. And the "dispute" between Himuro and Kagami isn't something so terrible. They just like to be dramatic a bit.
> 
> I hope the time flowing differently in Aomine's case than Kagami's didn't confuse you... If you've questions, you can ask. I don't bite, I only reply late (looks away in shame)


End file.
